What It Takes To Be A Queen
by Livangel16
Summary: What if there was a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at his home, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, battles and even love. Peter/OC
1. Chapter 1

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**Hello everybody! This is my first ever Chronicles of Narnia FanFiction story! I am pleased to finally be writing one as I LOVE C.S. Lewis's books and the first movie was awesome! So, this story is based off of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Reviews are what really keep my creativity going, guys! So, review and tell your readers and friends about this story because I _really_ want it to go places! Other than that, I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter One-Meeting the Pevensies

Ariel Davis was in her room reading a book about the life of Cleopatra. The Egyptian queen was one of her favorite heroes of ancient history. She was everything that Ariel felt that she wasn't: beautiful, resourceful, courageous and cunning. With a sigh, the fifteen year old closed the book and placed it on the night-table beside her before sliding off her bed and studying her face in the mirror. Her fiery-red hair, which she'd inherited from her Scottish grandmother on her father's side, was straight and hung down her back. Her large, hazel-colored eyes (which were the only thing about her she actually liked) were hidden behind her thick glasses, her cheekbones were high and people said slanted up charmingly when she smiled (which was seldom) and her nose was short and small. She was about 5'5 and was a lot curvier than the slender girls who attended the St. Elizabeth Academy, which often got her ridiculed. Add to the fact that was the academy's top student, and Ariel's social life was spelled out in a single word: non-existent.

She'd been living with her mother next door to her uncle, Professor Kirke, for about a year now. They'd moved from their house in London after her father had been called to serve in the Air Force as a bomber. Her uncle had deemed it necessary to keep his sister (her mother) and his niece out of harm's way as London was being heavily bombed by German fighter planes. Ariel had left her old school, her old neighborhood, and all her old friends (she'd actually made some friends at her old school) to come to the quiet countryside close to a city that she was quite unfamiliar with. Ariel wished for some company to come along, people her own age or around it. She was a bookworm and an intellectual, yes, but she was tired of being lonely.

Just then, she heard the neighing of a horse and rushed over to the open window. She saw her uncle's housekeeper, Mrs. Macready, driving the horse and wagon with four people in it. Two of them were boys and two of them were girls. Two of them looked around her age, which made Ariel's heart soar. Finally! Some company! She hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen where her mother was busying herself with supper.

"Mother! Mother! Mrs. Macready just drove into Uncle Digory's house with four children!" Ariel shouted excitedly. "May I please go and see them?! Please?! Please?! PLEASE?!"

"Ariel, be quiet!" her mother scolded. "A lady never raises her voice when she speaks!" The young woman hung her head in shame.

"Yes, Mother. I'm sorry," she apologized. Her mother patted her daughter on the shoulder, chuckling lightly.

"Well, just remember that next time," her mother told her. "Now, as to these children that you saw. Your uncle told me of their arrival this morning, but he didn't want me to tell you. He wanted it to be a surprise. They'll be staying with him as long as necessary. Their surname is Pevensie, and they're from London too. And they aren't animals to be gawked at in a zoo, so mind your questions. And as for seeing them, well…you may go after supper and speak with your uncle first before you can see them."

"Oh thank you, Mother!" Ariel cried before throwing her arms around the stout woman with mousey-brown hair and jade-green eyes. Her mother smiled and then told her to set the table for supper. Ariel did it as quickly as she could so that she could make herself look nice enough to make some new friends.

* * *

Ariel put on her grey skirt with a white blouse before she went and sat before her mirror. She brushed her hair and then put it up in a ponytail. Looking at her reflection, she sighed and decided that there was no use fussing over her appearance. She wasn't blessed with beauty, and there wasn't much she could do about it to change that fact. She quickly headed downstairs and slipped on her penny loafers before heading out the door and running down the lane towards her uncle's grand house. Hurrying up the path, she was panting slightly before she reached the front door.

Around her, the Sun was setting in the west, and it would soon be dark if she didn't hurry. She held the large, brass knocker in her hand and allowed it to bang against the door of the house. There was the sound of someone approaching the door, and she was suddenly face to face with the stern, imposing Mrs. Macready.

"Oh. It's you," she said in that stern, cold voice that made Ariel feel as though she was a little, two year old girl instead of the fifteen year old young lady that she was. "What do you want?"

"I'm here to visit my uncle, Mrs. Macready," she said almost in a whisper. "My mother gave me permission to…"

"HA! Your mother!" Mrs. Macready snorted. Then, much to Ariel's relief, the housekeeper opened the door wider and stepped aside. "Well, come inside already! The Professor's a busy man, you know!"

The young woman scrambled inside the house and walked gingerly up the stairs as Mrs. Macready would surely scold her to the ground if she went thundering up them to see her uncle. She turned down the hallway and to the right and knocked on the door.

"Come in," a voice called. She opened the door and saw the smile facing of her uncle, Digory Kirke, sitting behind a desk. "Ah, Ariel! My niece! How are you, my dear?!" She hurried forward and hugged her uncle, who chuckled and hugged her back.

"I'm fine, Uncle Digory. Mother says hello, and we haven't had any news from Dad recently," Ariel told him as he pulled away and sat back down in his chair.

"I'm certain that you didn't come all the way just to tell me what I already know, my dear niece," Professor Kirke chuckled, smiling at his niece's guilty look. "This is about the Pevensie children, isn't it?"

"Yes, Uncle Digory," Ariel confessed. "I…I just want to meet them and say hello to them, and…well…see if they'd…want to be my friends."

"I'm sure that your friendship will be a gift that they'll readily accept, my dear Ariel," her uncle replied confidently, rising once more from his desk. "They're probably in little Lucy's room right now. Let me guide you to them." Professor Kirke stood up and then walked out of his study, Ariel scampering behind him as they navigated through the house. Statues and historical artifacts lined the walls and halls of the large house. She knew that many people thought her uncle was eccentric, but she'd always loved coming to the house and seeing artifacts from different eras of history, imagining the stories and seeing their owners come alive once more in her imagination.

"Here we are," the Professor said, stopping in front of a wooden door with a brass knob. On the other side of the door, Ariel could faintly hear the tube reporting about the bombings in London.

"Thank you, Uncle," Ariel whispered so as not to startle anyone inside the room. "I hope that they like me and want to be my friends."

"Of that I am sure, Ariel. You will have many adventures together with your new friends, and perhaps, you will even find something more than friendship with one of them," the Professor whispered. Ariel turned around, confused and ready to ask what her uncle could ever mean by that, but he was already gone, vanished. Turning back to the door, Ariel took a deep breath and then raised her hand before knocking timidly on the wood of the door in front of her.

"Come in!" a voice called. It sounded like a boy's voice, and based on its depth and pitch, Ariel concluded that it was a boy around her age or a smidge older. Ariel turned the knob and stepped inside. There were the four children, the two boys and the two girls, and one of them, a small, brown-haired girl, was sitting up in the large bed. A dark-haired boy was seated next to the tube while his blond-haired brother sat next to him. The other girl was seated on the edge of the bed next to her sister. Nobody had noticed Ariel slip inside the room.

"The sheets feel scratchy," the brown-haired girl whispered. She looked like she was the youngest, and Ariel, who had always longed for a younger sister, couldn't help but feel instinctively drawn to her.

"I know," Ariel told the young girl kindly as everyone looked at her and almost jumped. "They always feel scratchy to me whenever I sleep here."

"Really?" the brown-haired girl asked.

"Really," Ariel replied, smiling.

"Who are you?" the blond-haired boy asked her. He had a protective tone in his voice that made Ariel step back a little.

"Peter! Don't frighten the poor girl!" scolded the other girl. She had long, dark hair and blue eyes just like the blond-haired boy did. Ariel couldn't help but notice that this girl was a lot prettier than she was.

"I…I…I'm Ariel Davis," Ariel managed to stammer out. "I live next door to Professor Kirke. I'm his niece. I was just interested in meeting you."

"Please. Excuse my brother for sounding so harsh," the long-haired girl said kindly. "I'm Susan Pevensie, and this is my family: my older brother, Peter," she said, pointing to the blond-haired boy, who nodded his head at Ariel. "My younger brother, Edmund," she continued, pointing next to a boy with dark hair and brown eyes, who didn't even make eye contact with her, but simply stared at the ground. "And last, our younger sister, Lucy," she finished, pointing to the small, brown-haired girl who was under the sheets. She smiled brightly and warmly.

"I'm 8," she told Ariel, who chuckled and smiled.

"So, where are you from, Ariel?" Peter asked her curiously.

"London," Ariel responded. "I just moved here a year ago with my mother to escape the bombings. How about you four?"

"Finchley. Our mother sent us here to keep us safe from the bombings, too," Peter answered. "Where's your father?"

"He's fighting in the war," Ariel replied, looking down at the ground.

"Our father's fighting in the war too," Lucy told Ariel. The young woman looked up and saw the sincerity in the child's eyes. "Maybe our fathers met each other!"

"Maybe, Lucy. Maybe," Ariel said, smiling. Peter couldn't help but notice that her smile was very pretty and seemed to light up her whole face. Her hazel eyes, hidden behind her thick glasses, seemed to shine brighter. He caught Edmund staring at him looking at her and quickly dropped his gaze, ignoring his younger brother's snicker of amusement.

"Do you think it will ever be over, Ariel? The war, I mean?" Lucy inquired.

"I know it will, Lucy," Ariel replied, trying her best to sound confident. She herself didn't know for sure when and where this war would end, but based off of the histories of war that she studied in her spare time, it **would **end. The only undetermined variants were when, who would emerge the victor and how many casualties there would be before it ended. Of course, there was room for error. _There I go, thinking like a complete smarty again!_ Ariel scolded herself. _I can't ever say things like that in front of them! They'll think I'm weird!_

"Ariel's right, Lu. Wars don't last forever. We'll be home soon," Susan reassured her little sister.

"Yeah! If home's still there!" scoffed Edmund.

"Isn't it time you were in bed?" Susan asked pointedly, but kindly enough.

"Yes, Mum!" Edmund said sarcastically. Ariel was beginning to get a feeling that Edmund was the most troublesome of the four.

"ED!" Peter scolded. Yep. Edmund was the definitely the most troublesome of the four, going by Peter's reaction to Edmund's sarcasm. Edmund just snorted before pushing past Ariel and stomping off to his room and Peter's, which was across the hall from the girls' room. Ariel flinched when she heard the door bang shut.

"I'm sorry about him," Peter apologized. "He's just got a naturally bad attitude towards strangers."

"**Actually**, that's his way of adjusting to such a huge change," Susan corrected, giving Peter a hard look.

"That's alright," Ariel replied. "I understand how hard it can be. Well, I'd better be going. It's almost dark, and my mother will have a coronary if I'm outside at night."

"But you will come back tomorrow, won't you?" Lucy asked her anxiously, putting on a puppy dog face. Ariel smiled and looked at Peter, who was watching her with a sympathetic smile on his face that read: _She does this all the time with us!_

"How could I say "no" to a face like that?" Ariel chuckled and smiled. Lucy's small face lit up like a newly-lit candle. Susan only chuckled and Peter's smile remained on his face. "Well, I'd better be going. But I'll be back tomorrow, and we can all explore this big, old house inside and out, alright Lucy?"

"OK!" the young girl agreed enthusiastically. While Susan saw to Lucy, Peter followed Ariel out of the girls' room. His blue eyes seemed even brighter in the dim light of the hallway, and Ariel had to avoid gazing into them. He reminded her so much of…_him_.

"Is something wrong?" Peter asked her, sounding concerned.

"What? Oh…nothing. It's just…I miss my father," Ariel lied, looking back up at him. He smiled and touched her shoulder sympathetically. Ariel felt her skin warm under his touch, but quickly shoved those feelings side.

"So do I," he told her. "Well, I'd better let you go home. We have a big day of exploring tomorrow."

"Yes we do," Ariel replied, smiling as she remembered her promise to Lucy. "Well…goodnight."

"Yeah. Goodnight," Peter returned before he headed to his room. The young woman watched as he went inside and turned around once more. Giving her a sweet smile, he gently closed the door. Ariel hurried down the hallway and then thundered down the front stairs, ignoring Mrs. Macready's scolding and hurried out the front door of her uncle's house and ran back down the lane towards home.

* * *

"Ariel Elizabeth Davis, where have you been?!" her mother scolded. "It's almost eight o'clock at night!"

"I'm sorry, Mother," Ariel replied, panting as she tried to catch her breath. "I…was…just…talking…with… the Pevensies."

"Clearly you've taken a liking to them, or you would not have spent so long talking with them!" her mother said, sounding partially angry but partially amused.

"They are quite nice," Ariel replied cheerfully. _Well, except for Edmund,_ she thought to herself. "Peter's the eldest. He has blond hair and blue eyes. He's really protective of his siblings. Susan is the next eldest, and she's really pretty. I wish **I** was as pretty as she is. She has long, brown hair and blue eyes, and she just looks so…perfect! The next oldest is Edmund. He has dark hair and brown eyes. He seems very secretive and…reserved. And then the youngest one is Lucy. She has brown hair and blue eyes, too. She's only eight years old, but she's so sweet and friendly."

"They sound like a fine bunch," Ariel's mother chuckled heartily. "But now, it's time for you to be heading off to bed, my dear. Especially since I believe that Lucy Pevensie has probably invited you back there tomorrow to play with them."

"How…how did you…?"

"You'd be surprised what an old woman like me knows, my dear," Ariel's mother chuckled again. "Now, off to bed with you."

"Goodnight, Mama," Ariel said, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs. Hurrying up to her room, Ariel changed into her nightgown and then settled back into bed with her book on Cleopatra. Soon, the words on the page began to getting blurry, signaling that she was tired. Placing her glasses and her book on the night-table beside her, Ariel snuggled under the sheets of her bed and fell asleep, dreaming of a snow-covered forest, what sounded like the noise of a great battle, and, what sounded even more impossible to her, the fierce roar of a lion.

**So, there's the first chapter done! If I can get at least five reviews by the time the weekend is over, I'll post the next chapter on Monday. Reviews are what keep me going, guys! So start using that little button at the bottom of the screen...now! Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	2. Chapter 2

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**Hello everybody! First, thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, HighQueenP, heavenxxbaby and my Guest! Please continue to review this story as it progresses! So...surprise! A second update! Reviews are what really keep my creativity going, guys! So, review and tell your readers and friends about this story because I _really_ want it to go places! Other than that, I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Two-The Game of Hide-and-Seek

Ariel woke up to the pitter-patter of rain on her window. Staring out at the grey, cloudy skies that were pouring rain, she felt her heart sink as she thought of poor Lucy and how disappointed she would be. She slid out of bed and quickly washed. She'd seen rain twice as worse in London. She wasn't about to let it stop her from seeing her friends. She'd told Lucy she'd come over today, and even if hail was falling from the sky, she'd keep her promise.

"Mother! I'm heading over to Uncle Digory's house!" Ariel shouted as she dressed herself in a long-sleeved green shirt and a black skirt.

"In this downpour?!" her mother yelled back up the stairs as Ariel stood once again before the mirror and decided to leave her hair loose this time. However, she put a hair elastic around her wrist just in case she needed to tie it up or back later. Heading down the stairs, she walked to the table and grabbed a piece of buttered toast from the small stack that was in the center and popped it her mouth. Taking five, large bites, the slice of toast was gone in under two minutes.

"I promised Lucy that I would come and play with her today, Mother," Ariel reminded her mother as she grabbed her coat and umbrella from the mud closet off the hallway near the front door. "I can't break my promise."

"Alright! Just don't catch a cold out there! And be home before dark!" her mother instructed her as Ariel slipped on her shoes and then put on her coat. She opened the door and opened up her large umbrella before she walked carefully down the lane, which had turned into a muddy ditch in no time. Her shoes were caked with mud and her socks were stained by it by the time she was knocking at the door of her uncle's house. Mrs. Macready answered, looking just as cold and stern as usual.

"What are you doing here?" she asked coldly. "Your uncle's in his study and asked not to be disturbed!"

"I…I'm here to visit the Pevensies," Ariel stammered. "I…I…I promised…"

"HA! You **promised**!" snorted Mrs. Macready. Then, she looked at the young woman harder for another moment before once again opening the door wider and stepping inside. "Hurry up, then! It's pouring out there! And wipe your filthy shoes off before you go upstairs to the library! I'll not have you tracking dirt all over your uncle's house!" Ariel did as Mrs. Macready instructed before handing her the coat and umbrella to put away. Then, she hurried up the stairs and down the familiar corridor to the library. She knew where it was because it was her favorite place in her uncle's house to be when she stayed over.

Gingerly opening the door of the library, she slipped inside and saw the four Pevensie children spread out across the room. Lucy looked up from her perch near the window, Peter and Susan were seated in chairs close to the fireplace and Edmund was skulking around in a corner close to a suit of armor.

"Ariel!" Lucy shouted, running from the window sill and hugging the young woman. She was short though, so she could only throw her arms around Ariel's middle.

"Hello, Lucy," Ariel chuckled, returning the hug. Then, she went and sat down beside Susan, who gave her a kind smile of greeting. Lucy returned back to her window sill perch and continued to look outside as the rain pelted against the glass window of the library.

"Sorry about Lucy. She's incredibly affectionate," Peter said, smiling at Ariel.

"I don't mind, Peter," Ariel replied, smoothing out her skirt. "She's so sweet that it doesn't bother me at all. I've actually always wanted a little sister."

"Really? Does that mean you'll take her off our hands?" Edmund asked.

"Edmund!" Peter, Susan and Ariel all shouted. Lucy stared daggers at him.

"You're terrible," Ariel said, shaking her head from side to side.

"It was just a joke!" Edmund said defensively. Peter scoffed and rolled his eyes while Susan only shook her head and returned to the large dictionary in her lap.

"Alright. Here's one: gastrovascular," Susan read, looking at Peter. Ariel simply looked confused.

"It's a game Susan's invented," Peter explained, seeing her look of confusion as he ran a hand through his tousled blond hair and leaned back in the chair. "Basically, Susan finds a word in the dictionary and I have to guess what the origin of the word is. You know, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and you get the picture."

"Do you want to play, Ariel?" Susan inquired.

"No thanks. I'm alright with just watching," Ariel answered. "Thanks for the offer, though."

"Smart girl," Edmund muttered loudly enough for Susan to hear him and glare at him before turning back to Peter.

"Come on, Peter. Gastrovascular," Susan said again. _Gastrovascular. It's definitely Latin. Most words in __that dictionary are,_ Ariel thought to herself. _There are some words that come from the Greek like cosmopolitan, democracy, ambidextrous and so on. Wow! I really **do** need friends if I know all that! _

"Is it Latin?" Peter guessed.

"Yes," Susan confirmed.

"Is it Latin for "worst game ever invented"?" Edmund snickered, earning a giggle from Lucy and smiles from Peter and Ariel as Susan slammed the dictionary shut with a huff.

"We could play hide-and-seek," Lucy suggested, coming over to Peter from the window.

"But we're already having so much fun," Peter said, throwing Ariel a wink that meant that he was joking. Ariel smiled and tried her hardest not to blush.

"Come on, Peter! Please?!" Lucy begged. "Pretty please?" She then did the puppy dog face, eyes wide and pouting prettily. She looked so adorable that Ariel knew even Mrs. Macready wouldn't be able to resist that face, let alone someone as kindhearted as Peter.

"Oh no!" Ariel sighed playfully.

"You've seen that look too?" Susan whispered.

"Yes. And I know what's coming next," Ariel told her.

"One…two…three…four…" Peter began counting, smiling as Lucy beamed and then dashed off.

"What?!" Edmund said, looking shocked that Peter had actually fallen for that look.

"Never underestimate the power of the puppy dog face, Edmund," Ariel told him simply before rushing off to hide with Susan not that far behind. Ariel quickly ducked into her uncle's old room and hid in the closet that was always left empty.

"Ready or not, here I come!" she heard Peter shout, and Ariel stilled her breathing as she heard footsteps on the stairs outside the room. She held her breath as the footsteps grew closer and then grew fainter. She breathed a silent sigh of relief. Hours seemed to pass, but Ariel remained silent as she continued to hide in the closet.

"It's alright! I'm back! I'm alright!" Ariel heard Lucy yell. Quickly, she burst from the closet and skidded out into the hall. She hurried down it and saw Peter, Edmund (who'd been hiding behind the thick, dark curtains) and Lucy standing there. Lucy looked flushed and excited, Edmund looked annoyed, and Peter looked extremely confused.

"You know, I'm not sure you two have quite got the idea of this game," Peter

"Weren't you wondering where I was?" inquired Lucy.

"That's the point. That was why he was seeking you!" Edmund reminded her.

"That **is** why it's called "**hide** and seek" Lucy," Ariel added. Just then Susan appeared behind Peter and the others.

"Does this mean I win?" she asked, looking quite happy.

"I don't think Lucy wants to play anymore," Peter informed the two other girls.

"But I've been gone for hours," Lucy told them. Ariel quickly looked at the gold watch on her wrist that her father had gotten her for her thirteenth birthday. It had only been a few minutes ago since they'd started playing.

"Come on! I'll show you!" Lucy told them, grabbing Peter's hand and bringing them all to the spare room where Ariel knew her uncle had stored an old wardrobe with fur coats inside. Lucy was telling them all about the woods, the snow, the lamppost, and a faun named Tumnus she'd met while in this place she called Narnia. But once they opened the wardrobe, Ariel saw nothing but fur coats, moth balls and a solid back of the wardrobe. No snow, no woods, and no faun.

"The only wood in here is the back of the wardrobe," Susan concluded, knocking her knuckles against it while Ariel looked on from her spot close to Lucy.

"One game at a time, Lu. We don't all have your imagination," Peter told her as he and the others turned towards the door.

"But I wasn't imagining!" Lucy protested loudly.

"That's enough Lucy!" Susan told her sternly.

"I wouldn't lie about this!" Lucy argued.

"I believe you," Edmund told Lucy. But there was something in his tone that suggested to Ariel that he was lying and was only using this as an opportunity to tease his poor sister.

"You do?" asked Lucy.

"Yeah, of course. Didn't I tell you about the football field in the bathroom cupboard?" Edmund teased.

"Edmund!" Ariel snapped.

"Why don't you just stop it? You always have to make everything worse, don't you?" snarled Peter.

"It was just a joke," Edmund argued.

"Jokes are supposed to be funny, Edmund," Ariel told him, narrowing her eyes at him. "**That** wasn't funny!"

"Oh what do you know?!" Edmund snapped back. "You wouldn't know a joke if it hit you in the face!"

"Back off her, Ed!" Peter ordered, coming to Ariel's defense.

"That's so typical of you to defend the girl and show off how chivalrous you are, Pete!"

"Classic comeback, Ed! When are you gonna learn to grow up?!"

"Shut up! You think you're dad, BUT YOU'RE NOT!" Edmund screamed, storming out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him. Ariel flinched and could feel the coldness in the air as Susan glared at her older brother.

"Well, **that **was nicely handled," Susan scolded, taking off after Edmund to probably try and calm him down.

"It really **was** there," Lucy argued in a tone that sounded so defeated that Ariel wanted to reach out and hug her.

"Susan's right, Lucy. That's enough," Peter told her firmly. Then, he was gone and Lucy burst into tears, crying. Ariel felt her heart burn as the little girl ran to her and hugged her, her tears staining her skirt, but Ariel didn't care. Instead of allowing her logic and reasoning to take over and have her explain to Lucy that what she was saying was logically improbable, she simply hugged the girl back.

"It'll be alright, Lucy," she whispered soothingly to the young girl, stroking her brown hair. "You'll see. It'll be alright."

"**You** believe me, right, Ariel?" Lucy sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Well, logically speaking, the probability of another dimension existing within the confines of another object is highly improbable," Ariel explained. Lucy didn't understand much of it, but from the tone of her voice, she probably thought that Ariel didn't believe her either, and her falling expression and the welling up of fresh tears signaled that fact to Ariel. Then, before Ariel's brain could stop her sentence, she continued.

"But…" Lucy looked up, looking hopeful and Ariel smiled, "logic has been proven wrong before this time. Besides, Lucy: you don't look like a little girl who lies about things. So, yes: I believe you." Lucy smiled and hugged Ariel tightly.

"Oh thank you, Ari! Do you mind if I call you Ari?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Of course not. As long as I can call you Lu," Ariel chuckled.

"Of course you can! Oh, Ari! You've made me so happy!" Lucy told her.

"And remember how you said the forest was covered with snow?" Ariel reminded her.

"Yes?" Lucy replied.

"Well, how about when you finally convince Peter and Susan and Edmund to come with you, you throw a big snowball in Peter's face?"

"That's perfect, Ari! You're the greatest!" Ariel smiled and was unaware that outside the room, Peter had heard every word that'd transpired between the two. He heard the door open and leaned casually against the wall, watching as the two of them came out of the spare room. They were smiling and happy, and Lucy even had a hold of Ariel's hand. Just then, they both looked up and saw Peter standing there. Ariel gave him a small smile while Lucy simply let go of Ariel's hand and walked right past him without a word.

"Poor girl," Ariel sighed, watching Lucy walk down the hallway towards her room. "I feel sorry for her."

"Sorry enough to lie about believing her?" Peter asked. Ariel was shocked to say the least. How could Peter think so little of her and he barely even knew her?

"No, Peter," she replied coolly. "I don't lie just to make people feel better. It's either I believe them or I don't. And I **do** believe Lucy."

"But you said yourself that according to logic, it's impossible," Peter argued.

"If you really **were** listening, then you'd remember that I said it was "improbable", **not** "impossible"," Ariel countered. "There's a huge difference. And logic's been proven wrong before, Peter. Don't tell me that it hasn't." Peter opened his mouth to protest, but closed it and instead ran a hand through his blond hair again.

"It's not possible, Ariel. A snow-covered forest inside a wardrobe?" It was then that something clicked in Ariel's mind. The dream she'd had last night. It was highly improbable, but she knew that her dream and Lucy's story about Narnia couldn't be coincidences.

"What if I told you that I had a dream about a snow-covered forest last night?" she asked him. He stared at her as though she'd descended from another planet.

"You did?"

"Yes. Think about it. I dream about it last night and then today, Lucy goes on about a snow-covered forest! I know it sounds illogical…"

"You're right. It does. Because it is. Look…I appreciate you being kind to Lucy. She's the one I'm worried the most about after such a huge change. But encouraging her is only going to make things worse."

"And scoffing at her and not believing her is only to make things worse as well!"

"Let **me **deal with **my** family, Ariel! I don't need **your **help!" Ariel was taken aback to say the least by the fierce tone of Peter's voice. He saw that he'd frightened her and instantly regretted it.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you," Peter apologized.

"It's alright," Ariel replied softly. "I shouldn't have…"

"I know," Peter cut her off, smiling slightly. Ariel smiled back as the two began walking down the hallway in silence, side by side.

"I guess I'd better be going," Ariel told him as they reached the top of the front stairs. "My mother wants me home before dark."

"It's only five in the evening," Peter pointed out. "Why don't you stay? For supper I mean?"

"Mrs. Macready's eyes would pop out of her head if I suddenly just announced that I was staying for dinner," Ariel told him, chuckling. He smiled and laughed right along with her.

"I suppose you're right," Peter replied. "In that case, can I walk you back home?" Ariel's eyes almost popped out of her head when he said those words. A boy was actually offering to walk her home? Usually, she walked alone and endured the taunts from them about her hair, her glasses and her intelligence.

"Boy! Edmund was right!" Ariel laughed. Peter looked politely bewildered.

"About what?" Peter asked.

"About you being chivalrous. But he was wrong about you doing it to show off," Ariel answered him. Then, she smiled. "Well…at least…**I** think he was wrong."

"Thanks," Peter replied, feeling his cheeks turn red with the heat of a blush. Ariel lowered her gaze to the ground, fearful of what he might say or do next that might cause her stomach to begin churning.

"No problem. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow." He watched her go down the stairs and then reach into the mud closet for her coat and umbrella. Then, she was gone out into the driving rain, shutting the door behind her. He heard Mrs. Macready scolding the young woman for something or another, but his thoughts were preoccupied with the thought that Lucy and Ariel could be right. _Oh, for goodness sake, Peter! Get a grip! _he scolded himself. _An entire land called Narnia in the back of a wardrobe?! With a snow-covered forest, a lamppost and a faun?! You're starting to sound like you're six and not sixteen! Why on Earth would you believe something as farfetched as **that**? Because **Ariel** says she believes Lucy? It's not possible!_

"Well, truth **is** stranger than fiction," Peter mused aloud to himself before going back to try and mend the fresh wounds that had been inflicted on his siblings. And as he did so, Ariel walked down the muddy lane, her thoughts also occupied with thoughts of a snow-covered forest. And even though she was fully awake, she could still hear the resounding roar of the lion ringing in her ears as she reached the door of her house and went inside to set the table for supper.

**So, chapter two is done! This time, I _swear_ I'll wait to the weekend is over and I have some more reviews before I post chapter 3 on Monday! Reviews are what keep me going, guys! So start using that little button at the bottom of the screen...now! Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	3. Chapter 3

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**Hello everybody! First, thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, HighQueenP, heavenxxbaby, MCH, .M, The February Rose, IsobelFrances, anniecarrots1, DestrierSnowflakeMoonwood and my Guest! You guys rule! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and please continue to review this story as it progresses! Reviews are what really keep my creativity going, guys! So, review and tell your readers and friends about this story because I _really_ want it to go places! Other than that, I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Three-Narnia, The Secret Police, Talking Beavers and a Prophecy

Again, the snow-covered forest (Narnia?) starred in Ariel's dreams as she slept. But this time, she was at the top of a cliff, gazing down at a great army that was at the foot of the hills, geared to the teeth for war. Then, a knight in brilliant, silver armor turned and lifted the visor of his helmet, and she recognized the bright, blue eyes as the ones of Peter Pevensie. He was gazing at something beside her, and then he was staring straight at her. The look in his eyes was one of concern and a slight trace of fear. Peter was fighting in a war? This couldn't make sense logically as he was far from London and had sworn never to be caught up in a war. But damn logical for the moment; he needed her. She smiled reassuringly at him and then, for whatever reason, puckered up her lips and blew him a kiss. She saw him smile that beautiful smile of his and then, he put a metal-gloved hand close to his lips and puckered his lips too, blowing her a kiss in return. Then, with a final smile to her, his visor was down and the sound of a trumpet echoed all around them. Ariel awoke with a start, gasping for air. Outside, it was sunny and clear, a welcome change from the rain. Ariel sighed and flopped back onto her pillow. These dreams…what could they possibly mean?

"Perhaps they're just some sort of disturbance in my subconscious," Ariel muttered to herself as she slid out of bed and prepared to go over to her uncle's house and play with the Pevensie children. "They don't mean anything. Do they?"

* * *

Ariel walked up to the front door of the house and was greeted by Mrs. Macready before she could even knock on the door.

"Your uncle's busy, and if it's the Pevensies you're looking for, they're in the yard, playing," Mrs. Macready informed her before slamming the door in her face. Ariel flinched and then pushed her glasses back in place. She walked into the yard and saw Lucy sitting under a tree, reading a book. Nearby, Edmund was holding a cricket bat and stood in front of a wicket. Susan was standing behind Peter, who had the ball in his hands.

"Hello Ariel," Susan greeted, smiling.

"Hello Susan," Ariel replied, smiling back. Peter looked at her and smiled as well. Edmund simply stared at her before turning away again. Well, at least now he was bothering to make eye contact. Lucy looked up from her book and then rushed over and hugged her.

"Oh, Ari! It's so good to see you again!" Lucy cried, burying her face in Ariel's red shirt. Ariel smiled and hugged the young child in return.

"It's good to see you as well, Lu," Ariel replied, smiling. Then, she noticed the book in Lucy's hands.

"What's that book you've got there?" Ariel asked. She was smiling as she recognized the cover immediately, but she decided to let Lucy tell her about it first. Lucy looked at the cover and then looked back up.

"It's called _Sense and Sensibility_ by Jane Austen," Lucy read, smiling proudly at being able to tell Ariel the name of the book all by herself. "It's about two sisters named Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Would you like to read it with me?"

"I'm going to talk to Susan, but as soon as I'm finished, how about you and I talk about that book for a bit?" Ariel told her.

"OK!" Lucy exclaimed before running back underneath the tree she'd been sitting under and returning to the book. Ariel smiled and then headed over to Susan.

"So, how are you Susan?" Ariel asked. "I feel as though I've just been ignoring you and Edmund. Well… you actually more than him since he's kind of been ignoring me back." Susan smiled.

"I've been alright, Ariel," Susan replied honestly. "It's a big adjustment, but I'm getting used to it. I have to be strong for Lucy. I am her older sister and all."

"Yeah. Us girls have to stick together," Ariel added, smiling. Susan giggled a little. Ariel smiled shyly. She envied girls like Susan. They were pretty, smart and confident; everything that she wished she was. It would be a lie to say that was a little intimidated by Susan. She was _very_ intimidated by Susan, and had avoided talking with her so as not to look like a plain, shy little fool in her eyes. But there was one thing that made Susan different from the other pretty girls Ariel went to school with. She was kindhearted and didn't flaunt her good looks and intelligence in other people's faces. She actually _wanted _to talk to Ariel, which made the young bookworm smile.

"I wish I had your confidence, Susan," Ariel said quietly, but not so quietly that Susan couldn't hear her. She was looking at the ground.

"Ariel. Look at me," Susan told her. Ariel shyly raised her gaze until she met Susan's blue eyes. "Confidence isn't something that we're born with. It's something that develops with time. You can be just as confident as I am."

"No I can't," Ariel argued.

"Why not?" Susan asked.

"I'm not pretty like you are." Susan was shocked to say the least. This quiet, young woman thought she was pretty, but didn't think she was anything more than a Plain Jane.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course you're pretty. And what does being pretty have to do with being confident?"

"If you've been through what I have…it means everything," Ariel replied before turned her attention back to the game. Susan opened her mouth to say something, but decided to wait until later before trying to talk with Ariel. The poor girl must have experienced something truly traumatic to make her think so little of herself.

"Peter winds up, poised to take yet another wicket!" Peter exclaimed. He threw the ball, but instead of hitting the wicket, it hit Edmund in the stomach, causing the boy to cry "Ow!" and then glare at Peter.

"Whoops! Wake up, Dolly Daydream!" Peter laughed. Ariel and Lucy both ducked their heads and hid a fit of giggles from the others.

"Why can't we play hide and seek again?" Edmund asked. It was then that Lucy looked up from her book and almost glared at Edmund.

"I thought you said it was a kid's game," Peter reminded him, tossing the ball up in the air and catching it.

"Besides… we could all use the fresh air," Susan added.

"It's not like there isn't air inside," Edmund scoffed.

"What happened? Lucy's looking daggers at Edmund. I'd say that's normal, but I have a feeling that it isn't," Ariel whispered to Susan.

"You're right. Lucy said that Edmund was in Narnia with her last night, but she didn't see him until the end," Susan explained. "Edmund got rather nasty and said that they were only pretending. Lucy was so upset. I think she still is."

"Do you believe her?" Ariel inquired.

"Honestly…I don't know what to believe," Susan confessed.

"Are you ready?" Peter asked Edmund, the ball in his hands.

"Are **you**?" Edmund countered, thumping the bat against the ground. Peter threw the ball and Edmund it hard, watching it fly through the air…and smash right through the stained, glass window. Ariel's jaw dropped. Lucy looked like she wanted to laugh. Susan and Peter were dumbstruck.

"Oh dear. Based on the calculated trajectory of the angle that Edmund hit the ball at, it was very likely that the window would be smashed," Ariel said aloud. Susan stared at her. Ariel blushed. "I'm kind of… smart when it comes to this kind of stuff," she confessed.

"C'mon!" Susan shouted as Peter and Edmund raced towards the house, all three girls close behind them. Hurrying up the stairs, they soon came upon a dismantled suit of armor spilled across the hallway along with the fragments of the broken, stained-glass window.

"Well done Ed!" Peter groaned in frustration.

"You bowled it!"Edmund countered.

"What on Earth is goin' on up there?" called a familiar, unwelcome voice.

"The Macready!" Susan gasped.

"Oh damn! If she finds us here, we'll be in monumental trouble!" Ariel hissed.

"If she **finds** us, we'll be in monumental trouble! Period!" Edmund corrected.

"Come on!" Peter shouted, grabbing Lucy's hand and leading everyone out of the room. They ran into another room only to hear Mrs. Macready's footsteps nearby. They tried another room, and the same thing happened. It seemed that wherever they went, the Macready was nearby.

"This defies all laws of physics!" Ariel gasped as Edmund opened the door to another room and everyone saw the wardrobe in front of them. Edmund scrambled to it and opened the door.

"Come on!" Edmund hissed.

"Oh, you've got to be joking!" Susan groaned in disbelief. Just then, the sound of footsteps behind them grew louder.

"Well, it's either the mean, old housekeeper who'll have our heads or the wardrobe, Susan," Ariel informed her. "The logical choice would be the wardrobe."

"Based off of what?" Susan asked as they scrambled inside the wardrobe.

"The fact that I'd like to keep my head," Ariel replied, holding back a laugh. "And the hope that you feel the same way!"

"Good one, Ariel!" snickered Edmund.

"Get back!" Peter hissed. Ariel was immediately shoved into Susan, who was being shoved by Lucy.

"Ow! Edmund!" Ariel snapped. "That was my foot!"

"Tell Peter! He's shoving me!" Edmund told her bluntly.

"But he didn't…!" Ariel began to say, but then she stumbled and fell onto something. She looked down and saw snow beneath her. Looking up, she saw dark, evergreen trees covered with snow as well. The sky above them was blue and sunny, but it was cold. _This is it,_ she thought to herself. _The forest from my dreams. This…this must be Narnia. _

"It's impossible!" Ariel heard Susan breathe as she and Peter gazed all around them. Lucy walked forward and smiled at them.

"Don't worry. I'm sure it's just your imagination," she said, grinning innocently.

"I don't suppose saying we're sorry would quite cover it," Peter said to Lucy, looking grieved.

"No. It wouldn't," Lucy replied. Ariel then saw that the little girl had something behind her back. Lucy winked at Ariel before throwing a huge snowball in Peter's face. It splattered everywhere; most of it went in his face, but some hit his blond hair. "But **that** might!" She laughed as Peter wiped his face off.

"I told you it was a good idea, Lucy!" Ariel shouted, giggling. It was then that Peter rounded on her, a playful, evil look on his face.

"So, **you** gave her the idea?" Peter asked, smiling as he picked up some snow. Ariel gasped and then screamed when she felt her blouse get hit with the snowball as Peter nailed her in the stomach.

"You'll pay for that one, Peter Pevensie!" Ariel shouted playfully, snatching up a handful of snow and throwing it at him. It nailed him in the arm, and Ariel laughed as she engaged herself in a snowball war with Peter, Lucy and Susan. She got hit a lot more times than she hit the others, but she was satisfied that she at least managed to nail Susan with one to the thigh and two more to Peter's face and back. But she couldn't catch little Lucy. She was fast and tricky. Just then, Susan threw a snowball at Edmund's arm.

"Ow! Stop it!" Edmund whined, rubbing his arm. Ariel looked at him, and it was then that she and the others realized that Edmund **had** been lying.

"You little liar!" Peter hissed.

"**You **didn't believe her either!" Edmund shot back.

"Apologize to Lucy," Peter told him. When he didn't, Peter approached him, a murderous look on his face. "Say you're sorry!" he shouted at Edmund.

"Wow. Remind me never to get on Peter's bad side," Ariel whispered to Susan, who giggled.

"Done," she said, hiding a smile behind her hand. "Although I don't think that's something **you'll **have to worry about, Ariel." Ariel looked at Susan with a confused look on her face, but Susan only smiled and said nothing else.

"Alright! Alright!" Edmund replied, looking scared. "I'm sorry!"

"That's alright. Some little children just don't know when to stop pretending," Lucy replied, smirking. Ariel felt a smile come to her face. From the way Lucy had said it, Edmund had said the same thing to spite her last night.

"Oh very funny!" Edmund muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe we should go back," Susan suggested.

"That would be the logical thing to do," Ariel seconded. "This is unfamiliar territory to most of us, so the safest course of action would be to turn back."

"Lucy and I have been here," Edmund reminded her.

"A fact you were reluctant to disclose to Susan, Peter and I," Ariel shot back. "Besides, there's still a ratio of 3:2 people who haven't been here compared to a 2: 3 ratio of people who have."

"Are you always this smart?" Edmund asked, sounding annoyed. Ariel hung her head. Susan glared at him.

"I think…Lucy should decide what we should do," Peter decided, smiling at his youngest sister, who beamed.

"That's also another safe course of action," Ariel said approvingly, smiling.

"I'd like you all to meet Mr. Tumnus!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Well then, Mr. Tumnus it is!" Peter replied, turning back to the wardrobe.

"But we can't go hiking through the snow dressed like this!" Susan protested.

"No. But I'm sure the professor wouldn't mind us using these," he said as he began handing out fur coats to everyone. "Anyway, if you think about it… **logically**," he said, smirking at first Susan and then Ariel, "we're not even taking them out of the wardrobe." Ariel put on the dark-brown fur coat that he'd handed her and immediately felt warmer.

"But that's a girl's coat!" Edmund shouted in horror as Peter handed him a grey coat with black portions.

"I know," Peter said indifferently. The two brothers glared at each other before Edmund snatched the coat away and then put it on. The five of them followed Lucy as she led them into the forest. Peter walked beside Ariel.

"So…did I ever tell you thanks?" Peter asked her. She looked up into his blue eyes.

"Thanks for what?" she inquired, looking confused.

"For believing Lucy when I didn't," Peter told her. "And for making me believe that all this was possible."

"No. You didn't," she answered. "But you don't have to. And by the way, it'd be "probable", not "possible" since I said "improbable" and "impossible"."

"Whatever!" Peter replied playfully, rolling his eyes. Ariel gave him a little shove, and then Peter fell and slid down a small hill. Ariel gasped as Susan and Lucy giggled and Edmund smirked.

"Oh Peter! I'm so sorry!" Ariel cried, hurrying down and standing beside Peter.

"It's alright. Could you lend me a hand?" Peter inquired, stretching out a hand to her. Ariel nodded and then grasped his hand. She tried to pull him up, but she wasn't strong enough. Suddenly, she was pulled forward and fell into the snow beside Peter. Ariel looked up and saw Peter standing up and brushing snow from his coat. He smiled down at her.

"Now, we're even," Peter chuckled, holding out his hand to her. Ariel grasped his hand and allowed him to haul her up, secretly hiding a handful of snow behind her back. Then, she slammed the snow into Peter's blond hair and smiled.

"No. **Now** we're even," Ariel said, smirking and hurrying to catch up with Lucy while Edmund laughed loudly, pointing at Peter's snow-covered hair.

"She got you good, Pete!" chuckled Edmund, smiling at Ariel as she passed by him. _Well, that's a lot better than he was a while ago! _ she thought pleasantly to herself. Susan only shook her head, but she was smiling. Lucy immediately took her hand and began telling her about all the wonderful things that they and Mr. Tumnus would do together in his cave.

"…lots and lots of lovely food, and we'll have lots and lots of…" Lucy suddenly broke off when she saw Mr. Tumnus's door broken off its hinges. Ariel had a very bad feeling about this.

"Lu?" Peter asked her, seeing the damaged door as well. Lucy immediately let go of Ariel's hand and dashed forward towards the cave.

"Lucy!" Ariel and Peter shouted, running after her with Susan and Edmund trailing behind them. Inside the cave, teacups were shattered, books and papers strewn all over the floor and Edmund even stepped on a slashed picture of a faun.

"Who would do something like this?" Lucy whispered, trying her hardest not to cry. It was then that Ariel spied a piece of parchment nailed to the wall near the door. She tore it off the nail and held it in her hand. It looked like some sort of notice.

"Peter. Come take a look at this," Ariel called to him. He was at her side like lightning, holding the parchment as well, their fingers lightly brushing. Ariel pretended not to notice the warmth she felt when that happened.

"The Faun Tumnus is here by charged with High Treason against Her Imperial Majesty, Jadis, Queen of Narnia, for comforting her enemies and fraternizing with humans," Peter read aloud to everyone. "Signed Maugrim, Captain of the Secret Police. Long live the Queen." He looked up from the parchment in shock at Ariel. She was also stunned by this. What kind of crazed land had they wandered into?!

"**Secret police**? Oh, dear! This isn't good!" Ariel muttered.

"Alright. Now we **really should **go back!" Susan told them urgently, snatching the parchment away from Peter and Ariel.

"But what about Mr. Tumnus?" Lucy protested.

"If he was arrested just for being with a human, I don't think there's much we can do," Susan told her.

"Susan's right, Lu," Ariel added. "It seems that in this place, humans aren't very welcome. We should go back before these "secret police" find us."

"You don't understand, do you?" Lucy told them both. Ariel, Peter and Susan all stared at her. "**I'm** the human. She must've found out he helped me."

"Maybe we could call the police," Peter suggested.

"These **are** the police!" Susan told them, shaking the parchment in her hand at him.

"Don't worry Lu," Peter told her gently. "We'll think of something."

"Why?" Edmund blurted out. Everyone rounded on him. "I mean…he's a criminal. At least, under the laws here he is."

"Edmund! Haven't you ever heard of a little thing called "innocent until proven guilty"?!" Ariel asked him pointedly. "And damn what the laws here say, he saved your sister at his own risk! We've **got** to help him!"

"I thought **you** said the logical thing to do was leave!" Edmund retorted.

"Well, I…!" Ariel began to argue, but the two were interrupted by a small robin on a branch near the doorway going, "Psst!"

"Did that bird just "Psst" us?" Susan inquired as they stepped outside. The bird flew away as soon as they stepped outside. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound coming from the bushes on their right. Peter immediately put Ariel and his family behind him. Lucy grabbed Ariel's hand as a small head popped out from the bushes.

"It…it's a beaver," Lucy observed. Ariel breathed a sigh of relief. She was expecting wolves or a mountain lion at the worst. Peter immediately stepped forward, beckoning for the beaver to come closer.

"Here boy," he said, clicking his tongue as the beaver came closer. "Here boy!" Then, just as Peter stretched out his hand fully, the beaver got an indignant look on its face. _Wait. Beavers can't look indignant!_ Ariel thought to herself for a moment.

"I ain't gonna smell it if **that's** what you want!" the beaver declared. Peter almost jumped back as he withdrew his hand, Edmund gasped, Ariel and Susan let their mouths hang open, and Lucy giggled.

"Oh. Sorry," Peter apologized. Ariel just let her mouth hang open. A _beaver_ was _talking_?! This went beyond all scientific and logical explanation. But there had to be one. There was an explanation for everything in life.

"Close your mouth, dearie," the beaver told Ariel. "Or somethin' will fly into it!" Ariel quickly woke up from her shock and closed her mouth, much to Lucy's amusement.

"Lucy Pevensie?" the beaver asked. Lucy immediately stopped laughing.

"Y-Yes?" she answered. He handed her a white piece of cloth. "Hey. That's the hankie that I gave to Mr. …"

"Tumnus," the beaver finished. "He got it to me just before they took 'im."

"Is he alright?" Lucy asked.

"Further in," the beaver whispered.

"What're you doing?!" Susan hissed, pulling Peter back while Edmund seized Ariel and Lucy.

"She's right. How do we know we can trust him?" Edmund inquired suspiciously.

"He said he knows the faun," Peter reminded them.

"He's a beaver! He shouldn't be _saying_ **anything**!" Susan cried, trying to keep from laughing hysterically.

"Even though I concur with that argument, Susan," Ariel said, "he wouldn't have the handkerchief that Lucy said she gave to Mr. Tumnus if he hadn't interacted with Mr. Tumnus before his arrest."

"Sounds like sane logic to me," Peter agreed, shooting Ariel a grateful smile. Ariel smiled and ducked her head to hide her blush.

"You're only agreeing with her because _you_ think she's _cute_!" Edmund said mockingly.

"I do _not_ think she's cute!" Peter fired back defensively. Ariel kept her head bowed, but Susan could sense her sadness as her confidence took another hit. Susan glared fiercely at her older brother.

"Everything alright?" the beaver asked from between the trees.

"Yes. We were just talking," Peter replied.

"That's better left for safer quarters," the beaver whispered, looking around before disappearing again.

"He means the trees," Lucy whispered to them before they began following the beaver through the forest. Susan made sure that she walked beside Ariel and that Peter and Edmund were out of earshot before she began to talk to the timid girl.

"Ariel. Don't listen to a word my brother says," Susan told her firmly. "He's only being a silly boy."

"It's alright, Susan. I mean…logically, Peter would never find a plain, timid bookworm like me attractive anyways," Ariel said in a defeated tone.

"That's not true!" Susan countered fiercely. "You just have to be more confident and I'm sure Peter will notice you a lot more than he already does."

"Peter doesn't notice me. Does he?"

"What would you call what happened back on that small hill?"

"Logically speaking…revenge. What would you call it?"

"**Logically** speaking…flirting." Ariel didn't say another word as her mind began to process what Susan had just told her.

"Ah, blimey! Looks like the old girl has got the kettle on. Nice cup o' Rosy Lee!" the beaver said jubilantly as a very large, well built dam came into view.

"It's lovely!" Lucy complimented.

"It's merely a trifle, you know," the beaver replied. "Still plenty to do. Ain't quite finished it yet. It'll look the business when it** is**, though." As they got closer to the house, they saw a light coming across the ice and a female voice called out into the darkness.

"Beaver, is that you? I've been worried sick! If I find you've been out with Badger again, I…oh!" the female beaver stopped short when she saw Peter, Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Ariel. "Those aren't badgers! Oh, I never thought I'd live to see this day!" Then she looked down at herself. "Look at my fur! You couldn't give me ten minutes warning?!" she hissed at Mr. Beaver.

"I'd have given you a week if I thought it would've helped!" chuckled Mr. Beaver as the five humans chuckled as well.

"Well…come inside, and we'll see if we can't get you some food, and some _civilized_ company," Mrs. Beaver told them, glaring at her husband when she said "civilized". Mr. Beaver chuckled sheepishly before following his wife into the house. Peter and the others followed them into the cozy dam. They all began to take off their coats when Ariel felt a pair of hands on hers.

"Let me help you with that," Peter told her gently as he slid the coat off her shoulders and down her arms.

"Thank you," Ariel replied, smiling despite what she'd heard him say earlier. She didn't know what it was about him that sometimes made her doubt her logic. Was it naivety? Hope? Insanity? She sat down beside Lucy who smiled kindly at her before her face turned grave, remembering Mr. Tumnus. Susan sat down next to Ariel and Peter sat down next to Susan. Edmund sat on the staircase.

"Isn't there anything we can do to help Tumnus?" Peter inquired.

"They'll have taken him to the Witch's castle, and you know what they say. There's few that go through them gates that come out again," Mr. Beaver replied gravely, looking at Lucy, who was probably feeling quite terrible.

"Fish 'n' chips?" Mrs. Beaver asked, sounding overly cheerful, placing a tray of fish and wood chips down in front of Lucy. Then, she took the little girl's hand and patted it kindly. "But there is hope, dear. Lots of hope."

"Oh, yeah! There's a right bit more than hope!" Mr. Beaver shouted, before leaning in as if he was telling them a great secret. "Aslan is on the move." There was silence for a moment before Edmund broke it.

"Who's Aslan?" Edmund inquired. Mr. Beaver burst out laughing while Ariel and the Pevensies simply stared around at each other.

"Who's Aslan?!" Mr. Beaver repeated, laughing. "You cheeky little blighter!" He continued laughing until his wife, after noticing their faces, nudged him. "What?" Then he saw them and could tell that they didn't know. "You don't know, do you?"

"Well, we haven't exactly been here very long," Peter reminded him.

"Well, he's only the King of the whole wood. The top geezer. The real King of Narnia!" Mr. Beaver said, sounding excited.

"He's been away for a long while," Mrs. Beaver began to explain, but her husband cut her off.

"But he's just got back! And he's waitin' for you near the Stone Table!" Mr. Beaver shouted in glee.

"Stone Table?" Ariel repeated in shock.

"He's waiting for **us**?!" Lucy asked in surprise.

"You're bloomin' joking! They don't even know about the prophecy!" he shouted in disbelief.

"Well. Then…" Mrs. Beaver prodded, gesturing to the five.

"Look. Aslan's return, Tumnus's arrest, the secret police… it's all happening because of **you**!" Mr. Beaver shouted.

"You're blaming us?!" Susan demanded in shock.

"No! Not **blaming**! **Thanking **you," Mrs. Beaver told her.

"Now, this makes no sense logically," Ariel jumped in. "Why are we being thanked for an arrest and a secret police?" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edmund move. He quickly sat back down as if he was just stretching, but Ariel was suspicious of him nonetheless.

"There's a prophecy," Mr. Beaver explained. ""When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone sits at Cair Paravel in throne, the evil time will be over and done."

"Based off of what I've read, prophecies usually rhyme," Ariel told him.

"She's right. That didn't really rhyme," Susan seconded.

"I know it don't, but you're kinda missin' the point!" Mr. Beaver said, sounding annoyed.

"It has long been foretold that two Sons of Adam and three Daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia," Mrs. Beaver said, patting he husband's hand.

"And you think we're the ones?!" Peter demanded in shock.

"Well, you'd better be, 'cause Aslan's already fitted out your army!" Mr. Beaver informed them.

"Our army?!" Lucy and Ariel said at the same time, both of them looking at Peter. It was then that Ariel saw Edmund slipping out the door. She pretended to be looking down and then quietly slipped out after him, putting on her coat as she did. Nobody noticed her. She saw Edmund hiking through the snow up an incline and chased after him. Seizing him by the arm, she whirled him around and stared into his murderous-looking face.

"Edmund! Where are you going?!" she asked.

"None of your damn business, Ariel!" he snapped viciously, wrenching his arm free. He started to walk away, but Ariel seized him again.

"Edmund! Whatever you're going to do…don't do it!" Ariel begged him.

"Stay out of this, Ariel!" Edmund told her.

"Your family will go crazy if they find you gone!" Ariel told him. "Peter would…!"

"Damn Peter! And damn you too! LEAVE! ME! **ALONE!**" he snarled, wrenching away his arm again. He turned to go, but Ariel wasn't going to let him hurt his family. She seized him by the back of the shirt. He whirled around and grabbed her arms.

"I warned you, Ariel!" he growled. "You **made** me do this!" And with that, he shoved her backwards, hard, sending her tumbling down the incline and hard onto a small portion of frozen ice. Her head banged against it, and she moaned as pain throbbed through it. Hours seemed to pass before she heard someone calling, "ARIEL! ARIEL!"

"There!" she heard Lucy shout, and then there was the sound of running feet and Ariel felt gentle hands on her arms. She looked up and could see a blurry, blond-headed shape help her up from the snow. It was probably Peter.

"Ariel! Thank God we found you! Are you alright?!" Peter asked anxiously.

"I will be once I find my glasses," Ariel answered. Just then, she felt something being pressed into her hand. She put on her glasses, and seeing that they were a bit foggy, took them off again and rubbed them on a dry spot on her fur coat. Then, she was able to see the worried looks on Susan's, Peter's, Lucy's and Mr. Beaver's faces. "Much better."

"Where's Edmund?" Susan asked worriedly.

"He took off that way," Ariel replied, pointing up the incline. "I tried to stop him, told him that you'd all be worried about him if he just took off like that, and then…"

"He pushed you down the hill, didn't he?" Peter asked, his question sounding more like a statement than an actual question. Ariel hung her head, and Peter's blood boiled as he took her silence as a "yes".

"Is he out of his mind?!" Susan demanded. "Wandering off like this and then pushing Ariel down an incline?!"

"He could've killed you!" Lucy snapped, angry at her brother for doing something like this to their friend.

"When we catch up with him, **I'm** gonna kill **him**!" Peter growled harshly. As serious as the situation was, Ariel couldn't help but smile at the concern the Pevensies, especially Peter, were showing towards her.

"**You** may not have to," Mr. Beaver said gravely, causing the warm feeling that'd washed over Ariel to evaporate like morning mist as she knew that Edmund was probably in the gravest danger of his life. "Has Edmund ever been to Narnia before?" Without another word, Peter seized Lucy's and Ariel's hands and pulled them along behind him as they all dashed off to catch up with Edmund and save him from making the biggest mistake of his life.

**So, chapter three is done! I may post chapter 4 later today, but if not, then definitely tomorrow! Reviews are what keep me going, guys! So start using that little button at the bottom of the screen...now! Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	4. Chapter 4

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**Hello everybody! First, thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, HighQueenP, The February Rose, anniecarrots1, **** .M., **IAmTheDragonEmpress, flamedragon242, KyaraSalvatore and my Guest! You guys rule! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and please continue to review this story as it progresses! Review and tell your readers and friends about this story because I _really_ want it to go places! Other than that, I hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Four-Wolves in the Tunnel, Stone Animals, Help From a Fox and Past Experiences

Ariel felt like her feet were solid blocks of ice thanks to all the snow that'd gotten in them. Peter had dragged them behind him as he trudged through the snow to the top of a cliff, Mr. Beaver following beside him. Panting, Ariel felt unable to breathe as she and the others gazed out and saw a huge castle made entirely of ice towering against the dark, night skies. It was then, through the light of the ice glowing like a lantern that she saw a dark figure heading towards the gates. Edmund.

"Edmund!" Lucy screamed, desperate for him to hear her.

"Shh! They'll hear ya!" Mr. Beaver hissed, motioning for everyone to be quiet. It was then Peter's face got a determined look on it, and Ariel quickly grabbed onto his coat as he lunged forward. Mr. Beaver grabbed him as well.

"NO!" he yelled, gripping Peter's arm.

"Get off me!" Peter yelled, trying to break free. Ariel quickly whirled him towards her and set her hands on his shoulders, gripping them tightly and forcing him to look into her eyes.

"Listen to me, Peter! We're going to Edmund back! But we need a logical, strategic plan to get into that castle!" Ariel told him firmly.

"Are ya nuts?!" Mr. Beaver demanded urgently. "You can't go anywhere **near** the Witch's castle! You'd be playing into her hands!"

"We can't just let him go!" Susan argued fiercely.

"He's our brother!" Lucy agreed.

"He's my friend!" Ariel added.

"He's **the bait**!" Mr. Beaver cried in exasperation. "The Witch wants all five of ya!"

"Why?" Peter inquired.

"To stop the prophecy from coming true!" Mr. Beaver snapped angrily. "To KILL YA!" Ariel's jaw dropped open again. The Witch wanted them dead? And if Edmund was walking right into her hands, she had a bargaining chip which she could use to draw the others out. Ariel felt a tear roll down her cheek as she watched Edmund walk through the castle gates and they closed slowly behind him, clanging shut. The poor guy didn't know what sort of fate awaited him inside that fortress of evil.

"This is **all** **your** fault!" Susan accused Peter. Peter whirled around, looking angry and hurt.

"MY fault?!" he repeated in anger.

"None of this would've happened if you had just listened to me in the first place!" Susan shouted.

"Oh! So you knew this would happen?!" Peter fired back.

"I didn't know what would happen," Susan said softly. "Which is why we should've left why we still could!" she yelled.

"ENOUGH!" Ariel screamed at the two of them. Peter and Susan stopped arguing and stared at her. Lucy backed away from her, and even Mr. Beaver looked at her with a sort of fear and respect.

"Ariel?" Peter asked, wondering if it was really the timid, soft-spoken brainiac girl who'd just spoken in such a tone and was breathing so hard that huge puffs of cold air were escaping from her mouth and nose like some sort of fire-breathing dragon.

"For God's sake! Your brother's in trouble! This damn arguing between you two isn't doing anything for him! And all it's doing for the rest of us is giving **me **a bloody headache!" Ariel snarled.

"She's right," Lucy agreed. "This isn't helping Edmund."

"They're both right," Mr. Beaver told Peter gravely. "Only Aslan can help your brother now." Peter sighed and then looked back at the castle.

"Then take us to him," he replied before turning away from the castle and heading down the cliff again. Ariel followed him silently. She almost tripped over a tree root, but Peter was nearby and caught her before as she stumbled.

"Thanks Peter," she told him gratefully.

"No problem," he replied, smiling kindly. "Don't need you scaring me again like you did when you went after Edmund and fell down that hill. Or when you yelled at me and Susan back on that cliff."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, looking away from him as they continued back down towards the Beavers' dam. "It's just…I was so angry with myself for not being able to stop him, and then you and Susan arguing…it just…I just…lost it, I guess."

"It's not your fault, Ariel," Peter said firmly, taking a firm grip of her hand in his, both to steady her and to hammer home his point. But Ariel didn't care which reason it was. All she wanted was for him to keep holding on to her hand, to never let go of her hand, no matter what. "You went after Edmund, even though he's been a complete beast to you. That took courage. You at least tried to stop him. I wish **I **had." Peter's face fell, and he stopped walking for a moment.

"Listen to me, Peter!" Ariel said, gripping his other hand tightly. "The only reason I noticed Edmund was gone was because I've been taught since birth to be observant of my surroundings! I **know **you would've stopped him if you knew he was gone! Stop blaming yourself for things you can't control! We'll get Edmund back, Peter! We're…just going to need a little…_reinforcement_ is all."

"Reinforcement?" Peter repeated, smiling at her as they began walking again.

"Well, we can't storm a castle and rescue the damsel-in-distress without help, now can we?" Ariel chuckled. Peter threw back his head and laughed.

"Ed would **kill** you if he heard you call him that!" he chuckled.

"Good thing he can't then!" Ariel shot back, giggling. Peter smiled down at her.

"I never knew you were so funny. You should be like this more often."

"Like what?"

"Smiling, joking, happy. And…fiery. It suits you." He reached out a hand and ran his fingers along a strand of her red hair, twirling one around his finger. "And not **just** because you have red hair." She stopped walking and so did he. They just stared into each other's eyes as Peter continued twirling the strand of hair around his finger.

"Oi! Are you two gonna standing there all night?!"Mr. Beaver demanded. Just then, a howl broke the silence of the night air.

"What was that?!" Lucy asked, frightened.

"_Canis lupus,_" Ariel said, gulping. "Probably no more than the usual amount in this type of cold environment. Still, they're dangerous since they hunt in packs."

"And in English "_canis lupus"_ means what, Madame Einstein?" Peter prodded.

"_Wolf,_" Ariel answered.

"RUN!" Mr. Beaver yelled. Peter seized Lucy's hand and Ariel's to ensure that neither of the two girls fell as they all sprinted as fast as they could to the Beavers' dam. They came flying into the house and quickly bolted the door.

"Hurry Mama! They're after us!" Mr. Beaver cried.

"Right then," Mrs. Beaver replied, beginning to scurry to and fro packing food and other items in bundles of cloth.

"What's she doing?" Peter inquired in shock. Mr. Beaver groaned and clapped a paw to his head.

"You'll thank me later!" Mrs. Beaver replied as Ariel, Lucy and Susan all jumped in and helped. "It's a long journey, and Beaver gets _pretty_ cranky when he gets hungry!"

"I'm cranky NOW!" Mr. Beaver shouted as snarls and howls could be heard outside the door and around the dam.

"Do you think we'll need jam?" Susan asked, wrapping up bread and fish and a jar of jam.

"Only if the Witch serves toast!" Peter countered, sounding frantic as the wolves began to dig at the structure of the dam. Handing Peter a lit torch, Ariel quickly shoved a few of the bundles of food in a cloth satchel. Mr. Beaver opened up a secret tunnel using a lever. Everyone scurried in just in time, closing the door of it just in time.

"Badger and me dug this. Comes up right near his place," Mr. Beaver explained as he and Peter darted ahead. The girls were right behind them, moving fast as they knew the wolves could stumble onto the tunnel any minute now.

"You told me it led to your Mum's," Mrs. Beaver contradicted. Just then, Lucy and Ariel were both tripped up by a tree root. Peter turned back to help them up.

"Lucy! Ariel!" Susan cried.

"Are you two…?!" Peter began to ask, but Ariel motioned for him to be quiet.

"Shh! Listen!" Ariel hissed. The distinctive sound of barking was clear as day to them from further back in the tunnel.

"They're in the tunnel!" Lucy whispered in fear.

"Quick! This way!" Mr. Beaver urged them.

"Hurry!" Mrs. Beaver told them.

"RUN!" Peter yelled as they hurried forward. Turning left and then right and then left again, they ran and ran until they reached a dead end.

"You should've brought a map!" Mrs. Beaver scolded her husband.

"There wasn't room next to the jam!" Mr. Beaver reminded her before hurriedly digging an exit for them. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver scampered out, followed by Peter, who climbed out and seized Ariel's wrist before hauling her out of the tunnel. She turned around and pulled out Lucy and then helped Susan out as well. Moving away from the tunnel, Ariel watched as Mr. Beaver and Peter rolled a barrel in front of the entrance. Just then, she heard Lucy cry out and whirled around. The young girl had fallen over some little objects.

"Lucy! Are you…?!" Ariel began to ask, darting forwards, but then she stopped short when she saw what Lucy had tripped over. They were stone statues of squirrels, a dog, a boar, and many more animals. But the saddest of all of them was a stone badger that Ariel noticed Mr. and Mrs. Beaver were staring mournfully at.

"I'm so sorry, dear," Mrs. Beaver said consolingly, placing a paw on his shoulder.

"He was my best mate," Mr. Beaver muttered sadly. Ariel felt her heart grow heavy as she helped up Lucy and looked at the stone statues all around her.

"What happened here?" Peter demanded.

"Never mind that. Who would do something as cold as this?" Ariel asked, fighting back her anger.

"This is what becomes of those who cross the Witch!" a voice declared. Peter quickly grabbed Ariel and his little sister and put them behind along with Susan, making his body a shield with his arms outstretched.

"Take one more step, traitor, and I'll chew you to splinters!" Mr. Beaver shouted, growling and taking a step forward, but was held back by his wife. The speaker appeared, and it turned out to be a fox.

"Relax!" the fox chuckled, leaping down from the rock. "I'm one of the good guys!"

"Yeah?! Well, you look an awful lot like one of the **bad** ones!" Mr. Beaver snapped, not wanting to trust this fox for a minute.

"An unfortunate family resemblance," the fox replied. "But we can argue breeding later. Right now, we've gotta move!" The sound of barking and growling as well as the movement of the barrel told Ariel and the others that they didn't have much time before the wolves came and surrounded them.

"What did you have in mind?" Peter asked hurriedly. The fox smiled slyly.

"Climb into that tree over there," the fox instructed. "I'll get rid of your tracks and throw them off your trail. Just **don't make a sound**!" Peter nodded and then, the six of them quickly rushed over to the tree. The Beavers easily made it into the top branches, but it was slow-going for Lucy and Ariel. Ariel had never climbed a tree in her life and had a dizzying fear of heights.

_C'mon Ariel! You can do this!_ she thought to herself as she pulled herself onto the top branch. _You have to be brave! Just don't look down, and everything will be alright! _Just then, Lucy almost slipped and fell out of the tree, but Ariel grabbed her arm just in time.

"Thanks, Ari," Lucy whispered as Susan and then finally Peter joined them in the tree. Fox quickly wiped away their tracks with his tail just the wolves came charging out of the tunnel and surrounded him.

"Evening gents," he greeted. "Lost something, have we?!"

"Don't patronize me!" one of them growled. He was bigger and looked more vicious than the others, so he must've been the leader. Ariel would've been shocked to hear a wolf talking, but she'd heard beavers talking as well as a fox. So talking wolves didn't really surprise her; especially since they were in Narnia.

"I know where your allegiance lies!" the lead wolf growled. "We're looking for some humans!"

"Humans? Here in Narnia?" the fox chuckled. "Now **that's** a bit of valuable information, wouldn't you say?" Just then, another wolf seized the fox in his teeth, biting down on the fur of his back. Peter slapped a hand over Lucy's mouth to stop her from screaming, and Mrs. Beaver put a hand over her husband's mouth to stop him from yelling. Ariel just watched in horror as blood began to drip onto the white, powdery snow.

"Your reward is your life!" the lead wolf chuckled. "It's not much, but still. Where are the fugitives?!" The fox whimpered in pain and for a moment, Ariel thought that he was going to betray them. She looked nervously at Peter, who looked as scared as she did. The fox looked into the tree. She silently pleaded with the fox not to betray them. Then, he looked away.

"North," the fox replied weakly. "They ran north!"

"Smell them out!" the lead wolf commanded as the fox was tossed aside and the pack of wolves scampered off into the night. Ariel and the others quickly hurried out of the tree. Ariel almost fell out of it during the last leg of the descent and would've fallen flat on her face if Peter hadn't caught her in his arms.

"Are you alright?" Peter asked her, his arms cradling her close to him.

"I…I think so," Ariel replied. She had her arms around his neck, and they were looking into each other's eyes. Peter blushed and then set Ariel down onto her feet before stepping back and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Ariel looked away. No. This couldn't happen. He was so much like _him,_ but…she could never do it. It'd pain her too much. Her heart was permanently damaged, and no one could repair it.

"Are you two alright?"Lucy asked, coming over. Then, she looked at her brother. "Peter. Your face is all red."

"It…it must be the cold," Peter told her. Lucy looked from him to Ariel, who was avoiding eye contact with her eldest brother like her life depended on it. The eight year old girl smiled to herself as she went back and helped gathered some firewood. Mr. Beaver made a fire and then Mrs. Beaver saw to treating Fox's injury. Ariel sat down beside Lucy and handed her some bread and fish. The little girl smiled before her smile turned into a grin as Peter sat down beside Ariel, who tensed up like a lion.

"What happened here?" Ariel inquired.

"They were helping Tumnus. But the Witch got here before I did," the fox explained and then yelped.

"Are you alright?" Lucy asked, sounding concerned.

"Well, I wish I could say their bark was worse than their bite," Fox chuckled before he yelped in pain again. "OW!"

"Stop squirming! You're worse than Beaver on Bath Day!" Mrs. Beaver chided the fox as she continued to clean his wound.

"Worst day of the year," Mr. Beaver whispered to them. Everyone laughed before the fox got up and moved away from Mrs. Beaver.

"Thank you for your kindness. But I'm afraid that's all the cure I have time for."

"You're leaving?" Lucy inquired in shock and…sadness.

"It has been a pleasure, my Queen, and an honor," the fox said, bowing to Lucy. "But time is short, and Aslan himself has asked me to gather more troops!" The Beavers gasped in shock and delight when the fox said the name "Aslan".

"You've **seen** Aslan?" Mr. Beaver demanded excitedly.

"What's he like?!" Mrs. Beaver asked him anxiously.

"Like…everything we've ever heard!" the fox replied, smiling before turning to Lucy, Peter, Susan and Ariel. "You'll be glad to have him by your side in the battle against the Witch."

"But we're not planning on fighting any Witch," Susan told him. The fox looked at Peter, a desperate sort of hope in his eyes.

"But surely, King Peter! The Prophecy!" the fox reminded Peter, whose eyes were riveted on the twig in his hands.

"We **can't** go to war without you!" Mr. Beaver told him strongly. Ariel looked at Peter, and saw someone older, sadder and more worn than the Peter she'd known before. The stress of losing Edmund was really starting to take its toll on his young body and his spirit. She felt badly for him, so badly that it felt like a horrible stomachache that she couldn't get rid of.

"We just want our brother back," Peter replied, tossing the twig into the fire. The fox looked disappointed and then looked up into Ariel's eyes.

"Queen Ariel?" the fox prodded. The words she spoke next sprung to her mind and rolled off her tongue before Ariel could analyze them properly.

"We shall see what the future holds, fox," Ariel told him, putting a gentle hand on Peter's shoulder. The fox nodded his understanding and then took off into the forest.

"Well…we've got a long journey tomorrow and we're going to need a lot of rest, so come on," Mrs. Beaver told them. Ariel then carried a half-sleeping Lucy over to a clear patch of snow and laid her gently down on a blanket that Mrs. Beaver had brought before placing another one atop her. Ariel turned and smiled as Susan came over, stifling a yawn. But looking back at the fire, Ariel could see that Peter was far from allowing sleep to pass over him. Susan followed Ariel's gaze straight to her brother, who was still gazing into the fire.

"You should talk to him," Susan whispered as she lay down on a blanket beside Lucy.

"What?" Ariel hissed. "Susan! I…I can't! I'll say or do something completely idiotic, and he'll despise me for it! Besides…I've never really talked to a boy on my own before without my friends nearby."

"We're not halfway across the world, Ariel," Susan chuckled lightly. "We're right here. And yes you did. When we were coming down from the cliff, you stopped and talked to him. I saw you. And you did brilliantly."

"I don't know," Ariel muttered, looking down at the snow. "I mean…he reminds me so much of…never mind. I can't do it."

"Who does Peter remind you of?" Susan inquired, looking curious. "You can tell me, Ariel. I'm your friend. You can trust me." Ariel took a deep breath, her logic-minded brain telling her to keep her mouth shut, that disclosing her past experiences would only reopen old wounds and lead to another downward spiral. But she shut out the screaming of her logic and reasoning and steadied herself enough to tell her story.

"When I was about fourteen years old, we'd just moved here from London, and I was all alone at school," Ariel explained. "None of the girls really wanted to be my friend, and I felt lonely. Then, one day, when I was walking home, I met this boy named Jonathon. He had dark hair, but his blue eyes looked exactly like Peter's. He walked me home, and as we talked, I finally thought that maybe, just maybe, I might have a friend to talk to. And for the next few months, Jonathon and I saw more and more of each other, and I fell in love with him. Then, one day, when we were walking home from school together, he kissed me and asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend. I was so in love with him that I said "yes" right away. We dated for about a week before I heard from one of the girls at my school that he was only dating me to fulfill a dare. I didn't want to believe it, but something in me made me confront him.

It was humiliating, Susan. He was laughing and asked me what did I expect, being so plain that I might as well change my name from Ariel to Jane. He told me that he was in it for 3 pounds to take his _real _girlfriend out for a bite in the city. Then, his friends came from out from the thickets where they'd been hiding and started laughing at me. I couldn't go to school for two days. I faked being sick just so I wouldn't have to face the girls and him. Now you see why looks matter so much to me. If I had any sort of beauty, Jonathon wouldn't have done something so horrid to me."

"Ariel…I'm so sorry," Susan whispered, brushing an angry tear from her face. "That prick had no right to do what he did to you! And you what? He did it because he's a horrible person, **not** because you're not pretty! You are pretty, intelligent and very kind! And on the subject of my older brother, Peter is **nothing** like Jonathon. Trust me. He talks about you a lot whenever you're gone, and he's always wondering why you're so shy around him because he wants to talk to you more and get to know you more."

"Really?" Ariel inquired.

"Yes. He's fond of you, Ariel Davis," Susan told her smiling. "And right now…he needs a shoulder to lean on. Go and be that shoulder for my brother. Please?" Ariel hesitated for a moment and then nodded her head. Standing up, she slowly walked across the makeshift camp and made her way to Peter, who was still staring into the flames, looking eerily like one of the stone statues surrounding them.

"Hello," Ariel said softly. His head whipped up like an animal scenting danger and then, his eyes were on her. He visibly relaxed when he saw it was only Ariel.

"What're you still doing up?" Peter asked her gently.

"I…couldn't sleep," Ariel answered.

"Neither can I," Peter informed her grimly, turning back to gazing into the fire. "You need to get some sleep."

"So do you," Ariel countered.

"I'll be fine," Peter replied, not looking away from the flames. "I…I just have a lot of things on my mind."

"Comes with being the oldest and being in charge." Peter looked up from the flames and watched as she sat down beside him. He felt his heartbeat quicken when she did that. Why was he always so jumpy whenever she was around him, close to him? It was still bothering him that he'd said she wasn't cute right in her hearing. And if Susan's glare had been any indication of what that comment had done to Ariel, Peter felt like a complete idiot.

"I was put in charge by my Mum, and I…I failed her," Peter confessed. "Edmund's in the hands of a Witch that wants all of us dead because of some prophecy which says that we're supposed to become kings and queens of Narnia. If I can't even keep my family safe, how am I going to keep an entire land safe? I don't think I'm cut out to be King."

"Peter, listen to me," Ariel said firmly. He looked at her. There was a tone in her voice that reminded him of when they'd been on the hill watching Edmund head to the Witch's castle; a tone that captured his attention. "We **will** get Edmund back. It's going to take a more complex, strategic method of going about it. That's we're going to see Aslan. And a King isn't perfect. They're human just like everyone else, and they're going to make mistakes. The difference between a good king like King Richard the Lionhearted and a bad king like King John is: 1) whether they're willing to learn from their mistakes 2) how he treats his subjects and 3) whether he'll seek and heed advice from those who know more than he does. And I just have a feeling that you will be a good king, Peter Pevensie."

"But logically, this can't make sense," Peter argued. "I'm only sixteen. I can't be a king. I'm too young."

"King Tut ruled Egypt when he was nine," Ariel countered. "King Josiah in the Bible came to the throne of Israel when he was eight. And then there was…"

"Alright! I think I understand what you're trying to say!" laughed Peter. "You can stop the history lesson now!"

"Good. Because I was wondering how many more kings younger than you it would take to convince you that you're not the youngest man in history to sit on a king's throne," Ariel responded, smiling. "Worry about becoming king later Peter. For now, worry about ruining your eyes with a lack of sleep and tripping over your own two feet from tiredness tomorrow."

"OK. I will," Peter told her. She smiled and began to get up when Peter seized her arm and gently pulled her back down beside him. "Thank you Ariel."

"For what?" Ariel inquired.

"For listening. And being a good friend," Peter answered, smiling warmly at her.

"I'm just glad I could help you," Ariel said, ducking her head and looking at the snow-covered ground. It was then that she felt a warm hand under her chin. Her head was tilted up and turned so that she was staring into Peter's piercing, blue eyes.

"You've helped me more than you know, Ariel," Peter whispered to her. Then, he smiled again at her and released her from his grip. Ariel, trying to appear as though his touch on her skin hadn't sent her body temperature skyrocketing, got up and exchanged goodnights with Peter before walking away as calmly as possible. But inside, her brain was whirring, her heart was pounding and her stomach was twisting into knots like a pretzel. Ariel breathed a silent sigh of relief when she saw that Susan and Lucy as well as the Beavers were all fast asleep. She wasn't sure if she could handle the questions that would undoubtedly come her way when she herself didn't even have any logic explanations for what was happening between her and Peter. There was one possible explanation, but Ariel didn't even want to consider it.

"It can't be happening again," she muttered to herself, settling down underneath a blanket and putting her glasses near her head. "I swore that I'd never allow this to happen again. Peter seems like a nice guy, but I know what guys are like. He'll end up being just like all the others. He'll never see me as more than a friend. And he'll **definitely** never see me as a girl that's worth chasing." And as she fell into a deep sleep, Ariel didn't notice that Susan Pevensie was wide awake and had heard every word she'd said. And as she gazed from the sleeping form of her older brother to the young, redheaded girl, Susan could only sigh and try to figure out some way to show Ariel just how different Peter was from that idiot Jonathon and how much Peter truly cared for her.

**Poor Ariel! I would've killed that jerk Jonathon! Now you all know why she's so insecure! And good for Susan wanting to help her! So, chapter four is done! And I want to see the reviews for this story reach 35 AT LEAST by Monday before I update with chapter 5! So start using that little button at the bottom of the screen...now and tell your friends and readers to review it if you want chapter 5! Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	5. Chapter 5

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**Hello everybody! First, thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, HighQueenP, flamnedragon242, anniecarrots1, IAmTheDragonEmpress, flamedragon242, heavenxxbaby, my Guest, MythicalGirl17, ariah23, SayaHikariUchiha, and dream lighting! You guys rule! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and please continue to review this story as it progresses! Review and tell your readers and friends about this story because I _really_ want it to go places! Other than that, I hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Five- Across the Barren Land and Christmas Comes to Narnia

The next morning, Ariel was awakened out of her sleep by an excited Lucy, who was anxious to get her up for breakfast. Groaning, Ariel felt around for her glasses, but couldn't find them anywhere. Getting on her hands and knees in the snow, she began to crawl around, trying to feel for them. But so far, there was no sign of them.

"Lucy?! Have you seen my glasses?" Ariel asked. Just then, she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and a familiar swooping sensation washed over her. She turned and saw a blurry figure with blond hair. She also felt something being pressed into her hands. She felt something being pressed into her hands and quickly felt that they were her glasses. She put them on and Peter's face clearly. He smiled slightly.

"Good morning," he said warmly.

"Good morning," Ariel replied, making a huge effort to keep her voice steady.

"Your glasses were a bit foggy, so I cleaned them off for you before you woke up," Peter told her, looking down at the snow. "I'm sorry if I upset you or worried you, but…"

"No. No," Ariel said quickly. Peter's head shot up and his eyes met hers. Ariel had to force herself not to blush. "It…it's fine. Thank you. That was really…_nice_ of you."

"No problem," Peter answered, smiling slightly. Ariel couldn't help but smile back. That was something she'd noticed about Peter. Whenever he smiled, no matter how angry or sad you were, he could always make you smile too.

"Well, we'd better get some breakfast," Peter told her, breaking the awkward silence that'd fallen over the two of them. He helped Ariel up and the two of them walked over to where Mrs. Beaver was serving them jam with toast and some fish as well. Lucy smiled and Susan and Ariel exchanged their "good mornings" as well as her and the Beavers. Soon after that, they broke camp and began walking across the frozen, cold ground. Ariel felt cold despite the fact that she was wearing a fur coat and hid her shivering from the others who'd no doubt worry about her. Just then, they reached the top of a hill and were gazing out at the landscape of Narnia. Trees stood tall and the snow gleamed under the bright light of the winter Sun. This land was unlike any landscape Ariel had ever read about on Earth. But then again, she was in a magical land in a wardrobe, so it probably didn't count as Earth.

"Now…Aslan's camp is near the Stone Table. Just across the frozen river," Mr. Beaver informed them.

"River?" Peter and Ariel repeated at the same time. They looked at each other and Ariel felt her cheeks burning and quickly dropped her gaze to the snow while Peter looked across at the barren landscape before them.

"Oh, the river's been frozen solid for a hundred years," Mrs. Beaver reassured them. Taking another glance across the barren landscape at the bottom of the hill, Peter took a deep breath.

"It's so far," Peter observed.

"It reminds me of the barren tundra of the Arctic," Ariel whispered. "But the distance…it seems to stretch off into infinity."

"It's the world, my dears," Mrs. Beaver told them. "Did you expect it to be small?"

"Small-_er ,_" Susan replied, staring at both her brother and Ariel. Then, walking carefully down the hill, they trudged across the barren tundra slowly. It was a long way to go, and Ariel was walking beside Lucy, whom she promptly caught before she stumbled and fell into the snow.

"Are you OK, Lu?" she inquired worriedly. Peter immediately stopped and turned back to them. Lucy nodded and then Peter helped her back up and held on tightly to her hand.

"Thanks Ari," Lucy told her, smiling.

"Yes. Thank you, Ariel," Peter echoed, smiling warmly at her. Ariel felt that smile of his warm her frozen skin as if it were the Sun itself. Why was it that she was feeling this way? It was starting to go against every logical course of thinking and action she'd ever known.

"Come on humans! While we're still young!" Mr. Beaver chided. He'd been saying that ever since they'd begun crossing the barren land, and even Ariel, who was patient and long-suffering, was beginning to get extremely annoyed by him.

"If he tells us to hurry **one** more time," Peter said in a playful tone, kneeling for Lucy to get on his back and rest for a while, "I'm gonna turn him into a big, fluffy hat!" Lucy, Ariel and Susan giggled.

"And can you send me some of the fur to make a nice pair of earmuffs or a scarf?" Ariel added, sending Peter and his sisters roaring into peals of laughter.

"What's so funny?" Mr. Beaver inquired.

"Nothing," the four humans all answered at once. Mr. Beaver looked at his wife, who shrugged and then the two continued on. The four friends looked at each other and giggled.

"Hurry up!" Mr. Beaver shouted again for the millionth time.

"He **is** getting a little bossy," Lucy observed. Just then, Mrs. Beaver screamed in terror, causing Ariel to whip around.

"No! Behind you! It's her!" she shouted in horror. Ariel could make out the shape of a sleigh being drawn by reindeer. A _sleigh_. Her heart rate immediately skyrocketed as she knew that the Witch drove a sleigh. The Witch. She was here. She was coming after them.

"RUN!" Peter shouted, getting Lucy off his back and seizing her hand as they began running across the barren land. Ariel was running beside Susan and could feel the adrenaline pumping through her entire body, spurring her legs forward as she ran and ran.

"Inside!" Mr. Beaver hollered from the entrance to a small cave beneath the slope of a hill. "Dive!" Everyone dove into the cave and huddled together. Ariel was bunched between Susan and Peter and gripped Susan's hand tightly in her own as she heard footsteps crunching on the snow. Some of it fell and Ariel saw a shadow in front of them. She held her breath and watched as the shadow disappeared and the footsteps faded away slightly.

"Maybe…she's gone," Lucy whispered.

"I suppose I'll go look," Peter said in a hushed voice. Ariel quickly seized his arm and held him back.

"You'll do no such thing," she told him. "It's suicidal! It makes sense if I go. I can reason my way out of it if things turn south."

"No! The two of you are worth nothing to Narnia dead!" Mr. Beaver told them, stepping out of the cave.

"But neither are you Beaver!" Mrs. Beaver protested.

"Thanks dear," he told her, patting her hand gently before scampering up and taking a look around. Several, long moments passed before the head of Mr. Beaver popped back in, scaring poor Lucy and almost giving Ariel a coronary.

"Come out! I hope you'll all been good 'cause there's someone here ta see ya!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed, sounding excited beyond belief. Everyone gingerly came out of the cave and up the small hill to see a red sleigh with bells on it and brown reindeer. There was a man standing in front of it wearing a brown coat and had a long, white beard. Ariel's mouth dropped open in shock and disbelief. Father Christmas? He…he couldn't be real. Logically, he was just a story character that children believed in. He wasn't supposed to exist, logically speaking. But here he was, standing right in front of her, laughing at her shocked expression. This didn't make sense logically. But then again, maybe logic never made sense in magical lands like Narnia.

"Merry Christmas, sir!" Lucy said excitedly, smiling and rushing up to Father Christmas.

"She looks like a child on Christmas morning," Ariel whispered to Peter, who smiled and looked at her.

"Well, she **is** a child. And technically, it's Christmas in Narnia right now," he answered. "So that statement is literally applicable here."

"Are you talking like that just to impress me?" Ariel asked jokingly. Peter blushed, but kept his eyes on her.

"Why? Is it working?" he asked her. There was something in his tone that sounded so inviting, so seductive, that Ariel wanted to throw her caution to the winds and just allow him to pull her into his arms and hold her forever. Ariel shook herself and refocused her energy and concern on a supposedly fictional character standing before her in real life.

Father Christmas smiled at Lucy. "It certainly is, Lucy. Since you have arrived."

"Look, I've put with a lot since I got here," Susan began saying. "But this..."

"We thought you were the Witch," Peter interrupted, turning to face Father Christmas.

"Yes. Sorry about that. But in my defense, I've been driving one of these longer than the Witch," Father Christmas replied, looking a little sheepish about scaring them like that.

"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia," Susan remembered, walking towards Father Christmas.

"No. Not for a long time," he replied. "But the hope that you've brought, your Majesties, is finally starting to weaken the Witch's power. Still…I dare say you could do with these." He turned and reached into the sleigh and pulled out a large, brown bag and set it on the snow.

"Presents!" Lucy shouted excitedly, hurrying forward. Father Christmas pulled out a crystal bottle filled with red liquid. He turned to Lucy and smiled.

"The juice of the fire-flower. One drop will cure any injury, however grave." He handed it to her. "And though I hope you never have to use it," he added, as he also pulled a small dagger with a scabbard. Lucy took the dagger and stared at it for a moment. "Thank you, sir. But… I think I could be brave enough."

The smile on Father Christmas's face faded away and he looked serious. "I'm sure you could. But battles are ugly affairs." Lucy nodded in understanding and stepped back, studying her "gifts".

"Susan," Father Christmas said. She stepped forward and he out a beautiful bow and arrows with red feathers at the end. "Trust in this bow, and it will not easily miss."

She stared at the bow and the arrows for a moment before questioning, "What happened to "battles are ugly affairs"?" Father Christmas chuckled.

"And though you don't seem to have a problem making yourself heard," he said, reaching into the bag again and pulling out an ivory horn, "blow on this and wherever you are, help **will** come." Nodding, Susan stepped back.

"Ariel," Father Christmas called. The young redhead stepped forward as Father Christmas drew out a strange-looking, red-and-gold staff with two, curved blades on the ends. It had a leather holder attached to it that could be worn across her back. "This is a Japanese weapon called a _narigata._ It is a powerful weapon used by great warriors of the past. Believe in yourself, and you will master it."

"But I've never used a weapon in my life!" Ariel protested. "I'm no warrior! I…I can't do this!"

"The power is within you, Ariel Davis," Father Christmas reassured her. "And you will master it." Then, he reached back in the bag and handed her a large, curved dagger in a beautiful, gold scabbard decorated with jewels. "All you need to do is believe in yourself, and these weapons will bend to your will. Trust your instincts. Let them guide you."

"A-A-Alright. Thank you sir," Ariel replied, gazing at the weapons in her hands. She stepped back.

"Peter," Father Christmas called, and the young man stepped forward. "The time to use these may be near at hand." He handed Peter a sword and a glittering silver shield with a lion emblazoned on it. Peter drew the sword from its scabbard and the metal gleamed in the light of the winter Sun. Ariel's eyes landed on the young man, and she could see as clearly as anyone else that this sword was now a part of Peter. He loved this sword.

"Thank you sir," he told Father Christmas.

"These are **tools.** Not **toys**," Father Christmas reminded them sternly. "Bear them well and wisely. Now, I must be off. Winter's almost over, and things do pile up when you've been gone a hundred years." Stuffing the large bag back inside the sleigh, he turned and looked at them again. "Long live Aslan!" he declared, climbing into the sleigh. "And Merry Christmas!" he added, laughing jovially before the reindeer leapt forward and the sleigh disappeared through the trees and then into the air.

"Told you he was real!" Lucy said to Susan, smiling. Susan only rolled her eyes. Ariel didn't know what to make of it. She was holding lethal weapons

"He said winter was almost over," Peter remembered slowly. He whirled around and faced the others. "You know what that means?"

"The temperature of the Sun is steadily rising, which is leading to a defrosting of all the snow and liquid, frozen water in the entire region to prepare for the incoming, warmer season," Ariel realized, horrified.

"OK. And in English, what does that mean?" Susan inquired. Peter and Ariel looked at each other, both of them speaking the three words that had everyone shocked and horrified; three words that would change their entire plan and put them in the greatest race against time they'd ever have to experience.

"No more ice."

**And the race is on! So, sorry it's a bit shorter than the others, but I'm trying to update a lot of my stories today! I decided to give Ariel something a little more...unexpected because Peter and Edmund have swords and everything, so I wanted to go outside the usual weapons. Anyways, let's see if we can reach 50 reviews before I post chapter 6! So start using that little button at the bottom of the screen...now and tell your friends and readers to review it if you want chapter 6! Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	6. Chapter 6

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**Hello everybody! First, I must apologize for being gone so long! But school and life got in the way. But I finally sat down and wrote this chapter AT LAST! Second, thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, HighQueenP, flamnedragon242, eternallystarcrossed2010, IAmTheDragonEmpress, IsobelFrances, heavenxxbaby, ariah23, and Arwin Fred! You guys rule! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and please continue to review this story as it progresses! Review and tell your readers and friends about this story because I _really_ want it to go places! Other than that, I hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Six-Going for a Swim and Aslan's Camp

Never had Ariel ran so fast in her entire life as she did as she, the Pevensies and the Beavers raced towards the rapidly melting frozen river. She was out of breath and panting hard when they reached the edge of the cliff that overlooked the river. Large chunks of ice were breaking away, revealing the cold, icy waters beneath them. Ariel quickly did a calculation in her mind and knew that they didn't have much time before the river completely thawed out.

"We need to cross now!" Peter shouted, trying to be heard over the noise of the thundering waters of the river.

"Don't beavers make dams?!" Lucy asked, sounding panicked.

"I'm not **that** fast, dear," Mr. Beaver replied, looking shocked.

"Come on!" Peter yelled. Seizing Lucy's hand, he began to make his way down the cliff when Ariel pulled him back.

"Peter! Wait! We need a logical strategy to get across the river safely!" Ariel told him.

"She's right," Susan seconded. "We need to think about this for a minute!"

"We don't have a minute!" Peter reminded them, sounding extremely frustrated.

"We're just trying to be realistic," Susan grumbled.

"No, you two are trying to be smart. **As usual**!" he snapped. Ariel's face fell faster than a ruined soufflé when she heard him say that. She knew that he'd never like her because of her intelligence. She'd been a fool to think otherwise. Susan, sensing that her brother's comment had no doubt wounded Ariel like a sword to the chest, glared at him. He turned away and helped Lucy down, the Beavers, Susan and Ariel following his lead.

"I was a fool to think he'd ever like me," Ariel muttered softly, but not softly enough that Susan couldn't hear her.

"He didn't mean what he said, Ariel," Susan replied gently, putting a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "He was just frustrated, panicked and angry."

"It didn't sound like that to me!" Ariel snapped, drawing away from Susan and moving towards the ice with the others. Peter put his foot down on the ice and then leapt back quickly when it sunk into the water.

"Wait," Mr. Beaver cautioned. "Maybe I should go first."

Peter 's gaze shifted from the ice to the smaller animal. "Maybe you should," he agreed. The beaver carefully stepped out onto the ice and slapped it with his tail as he gingerly made his way across. The light sound of cracking ice could be heard on the alternative step he took.

"You've been sneaking second helpings, haven't you?!" Mrs. Beaver accused.

"Well, you never know which meal's gonna be your last," he chuckled. "Especially with your cooking." Ariel gulped as Peter stepped back onto the same piece of ice. It didn't sink. He turned around and held out his other hand to Ariel. She shrank back slightly.

"Come on Ariel!" he snapped impatiently. "We don't have time for logic!"

"Back off her, Peter!" Susan growled, immediately coming to Ariel's defense. Ariel bit her lip and then took Peter's hand as he held onto Lucy with his other hand. Lucy screamed when a burst of water sprung up from the river and hit her.

"If Mum knew what we were doing..." Susan muttered aloud.

"Mum's not here!" Peter snarled, rounding on Susan. Ariel flinched again at his sharp tone. She'd never been one for arguments, and right now, she knew that they were wasting precious time. Continuing on in silence, Ariel flinched when she felt a piece of ice hit the top of her head. She looked up and saw two figures running along the top of the waterfall.

"Oh no!" Lucy cried, spotting the wolves racing down to catch them as well.

"Run!" Peter shouted. Hurrying as fast as they could across the ice, Ariel knew that the wolves would have them cornered. And she was right. The two predators jumped down and blocked their way. Mr. Beaver leapt forward and tried to scare them off, but one of them seized him in his jaws, pinning him to the ice.

"No!" shrieked Mrs. Beaver in anguish, holding out her paw to her husband.

"Peter!" Lucy screamed. Peter let go of Ariel's hand and quickly drew his sword and pointed it directly at the other wolf who was advancing towards them.

"Put that down, boy. Someone could get hurt," he chuckled, his voice soothing. They began backing up slowly.

"Don't worry about me!" Mr. Beaver yelled. "Run him though!"

"Leave now while you can. And your brother leaves with you," the wolf said. Ariel suspected that this was Maugrim, the Captain of the Secret Police if he was making them this type of deal. And she could detect the deceptive tone in his voice as well. He didn't mean what he was saying. This was all just a trap so that either he could kill them or the White Witch could.

"Stop Peter!" Susan shouted. "Maybe we should listen to him!"

"Smart girl," Maugrim chuckled. _Defend the ones you love, Ariel Davis,_ a voice said to her. _It is your duty as a Queen of Narnia to protect those you love. _Ariel didn't know where the voice was coming from or whose it was, but she went against the logic reasons to ignore it.

"Keep the sword up, Peter," Ariel advised, drawing her _narigata_ out and pointed one of the curved blades at Maugrim as well. "He's lying. The tone of his voice doesn't hide his deceitful intentions as well as he thinks it does."

"Ariel?" Peter said, looking shocked and amazed at this sudden burst of courage. Maugrim growled and narrowed his yellow eyes at her.

"Listen to Ariel, Peter! Don't listen to him!" Mr. Beaver shouted again. "Kill him! Kill him **now**!"

"Oh, come on. This isn't your war. All my Queen wants is for you to take your family and go," Maugrim continued.

"Look! Just because some man in a red coat hands you a sword, it doesn't make you a hero! Just drop it!" screamed Susan. "You too, Ariel!"

"The moment we do that Susan, we're dead! All of us!" Ariel shot back, keeping the blade pointed at the wolf.

"You haven't got the guts to kill, Daughter of Eve!" Maugrim growled, taking a step towards her. Peter promptly put her behind him, the sword never faltering.

"Keep away from her!" he snarled.

"If you **really** want to protect us all, Peter, let us get Edmund and go home!" Susan cried angrily. Peter's sword dropped a little.

"No, Peter! Narnia needs you! Gut him while you still have a chance!" Mr. Beaver shouted, struggling against the wolf that pinned him down.

"What's gonna be, Son of Adam?" Maugrim asked, taking another step towards them. "I won't wait forever. And neither will the river." Lucy looked up at the frozen waterfall as it began cracking.

"Peter!" she screamed. Ariel saw huge chunks of the frozen waterfall begin falling as the cracks got larger and spread wider.

"It's now or never!" Ariel shouted to Peter. He looked back at the wolf before he turned back to the girls and Mrs. Beaver.

"Hold onto me!" Peter ordered. He jammed his sword into the ice almost to the hilt. Huddling around him, everyone grabbed a handful of his fur coat and knelt down. The frozen ice covering the waterfall fell away and Ariel screamed as a huge torrent of water came crashing down over them, carrying them under. They resurfaced and flowed down the river, finally landing on the shoreline of the opposite side of the river. Coughing and wiping her sopping, red hair off of her face, Ariel was shocked and relieved to find her glasses were still on her face after such a tempestuous ride down the river.

"What have you done?!" she heard Susan shout and whipped around. Peter, equally as soaked as she was, held a wet fur coat in his hand. Ariel's heart seized as she recognized who it belonged to. Lucy.

"Lucy! Lucy!" Susan screamed. Ariel scanned the river with its frozen ice chunks floating down it, but there was no sign of the young girl. She looked about ready to dive into the waters when she heard someone ask, "Has anyone seen my coat?" Ariel turned to her left and saw Lucy, sopping wet, coming up the bank of the river. Ariel rushed at her and hugged her tightly as Peter came and wrapped the coat around her like a towel. Susan watched from a distance and smiled.

"Don't worry, dear," Mr. Beaver chuckled. "Your brother and his sweetheart got you well looked after."

"Sweetheart?" Peter and Ariel repeated at the same time, looking at each other before immediately breaking eye contact and blushing.

Mrs. Beaver smiled at the pair before turning her eye to the trees. "And I don't think you'll be needing those coats anymore," she told them softly. Ariel looked up and saw the snow was rapidly melting and flowers were emerging from the ground in various hues and colors. Logically, this didn't make any sense as the typical cycle of the seasons didn't progress so fast. But Ariel pushed it aside and allowed the warmth of the Sun and the blossoming wildlife to engulf her. Maybe here in Narnia, logic wasn't as necessary as back in their world.

"Did I ever thank you?" Peter whispered to her as he walked beside her. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up and Ariel's sweater was tied around her waist.

"For what?" Ariel inquired.

"For having my back against Maugrim," Peter replied. "That was very brave of you. You saved us."

"No, Peter. **You** saved us," Ariel reminded him. "All I did was draw a curved stick and "be smart as usual"." Glaring at him, she walked ahead of him with Lucy, leaving Peter stunned and wanting to kick himself.

"I've seriously screwed up with her," he mumbled, running a hair through his hair.

"What was your first clue?" Susan retorted.

"Don't start, Su," Peter begged in a frustrated tone. "I already feel like an idiot for saying that to her back at the river. I just wish she wasn't so...hard to read."

"You don't know what she's been through," Susan told him bluntly before realizing that she'd said too much. Peter seized her arm and held her back.

"What're you talking about?" Peter questioned, looking at his sister. "Did someone hurt her?"

"It's not my place to tell you, Peter," Susan answered, looking away from her brother, silently confirming his suspicions. Then, she looked at him. "But you need to watch your words with her. You don't know how much of an impact they have on her." Finally, they came to a hill and saw an entire camp below them. Red flags fluttered in the soft, warm breeze as a horn sounded the arrival of strangers to the camp.

"Well...we didn't come all this way just to get a little stage fright," Ariel told them, trying to hide her own nervousness. Lucy took Ariel's hand and gave it a little squeeze. The young redhead looked down and smiled to see the brave face of the eight year old girl. Forming a straight line with Peter in the center, the six made their way down into the camp. Fauns, dogs, bears, horses, dwarves and centaurs all stared at them as they made their way through the camp to the center of it. Creatures began following them, making Ariel slightly nervous. She looked at Susan and saw that her friend looked just as frightened as she did.

"Why are they all staring at us?" asked Susan.

"Maybe they think **you **look funny," Lucy replied, smiling. Peter chuckled and Ariel smiled as Susan said nothing. Mrs. Beaver was busty inspecting her fur, brushing it down and making sure it looked nice.

"Oi, stop your fussing!" hissed Mr. Beaver, taking his wife's hand and smiling at her. "You look lovely." Ariel smiled at the two beavers and her heart longed for a boy to hold her hand and speak those words to her. But she sighed to herself. It was just a silly dream. No boy would **ever** say those words to a plain, geeky bookworm like her!

A centaur stood close to the entrance of the largest tent in the camp. The six stopped in front of it. Ariel studied the powerfully built centaur and could see that he was a warrior by look alone. His fierce yet curious gaze fixed on them. Peter unsheathed his sword and raised it, trying to keep his hand steady.

"We have come to see Aslan," Peter declared, attempting to sound bold and brave.

A warm wind began to blow as all eyes were fixed on the entrance of the tent. Just then, the centaur bowed as did everyone behind them. A huge, golden paw emerged from the tent and Ariel was shocked to see a great, golden lion come out of the tent. He looked powerful and fierce, but his brown eyes looked kind and sincere. Despite her logical side screaming at her to run, she ignored it. Something about this lion made her feel safe, not frightened. Peter placed his sword on the ground and knelt. Lucy, Susan and Ariel followed his lead.

"Welcome, Peter, Son of Adam. Welcome, Susan, Ariel and Lucy, Daughters of Eve. And welcome to you, Beavers. You have my thanks." The Beavers smiled at each other.

"But where is the fifth?" Aslan asked.

"That's why we're here, sir," Peter replied, standing up and sheathing his sword. "We need your help."Ariel got to her feet and helped Lucy to hers as the crowd rose to their feet as well.

"We had a little trouble along the way," Susan confessed halfheartedly.

"Our brother's been captured by the White Witch," Peter informed them. Gasps of shock and horror filled the crowd.

"Captured?" Aslan demanded.. "How could this happen?"

"He... _betrayed_ them, your Majesty," Mr. Beaver admitted. Now Ariel could hear the whispers coming from the crowd as well as feel the hard eyes of those present on them.

"Then he has betrayed us all!" growled the centaur.

"Peace, Orius!" Aslan commanded, growling slightly at the centaur before looking at Peter, his sisters and Ariel. "I'm sure there's an explanation."

"It's my fault, really," Peter confessed, sounding so guilty that it was literally tearing Ariel's heart into pieces. "I was too hard on him."

"So was I," Ariel seconded, standing beside Peter and taking his hand in hers. It was a bold move that shocked the both of them, but Ariel didn't care. Peter needed someone to stand beside him and bear this burden with him. Besides, she could've stopped Edmund if she'd really tried, so some of this was her fault too.

Susan stepped up beside her brother and placed a hand on his shoulder, comforting him and supporting him. "We **all** were," she told Aslan.

"Sir, he's our brother," little Lucy told Aslan plainly in that innocent, childlike voice that made Ariel want to hug her.

"And my friend," Ariel added.

"I know, dear ones," he answered, sighing gravely. "But that only makes the betrayal all the worse." He looked at Peter. "This may be harder than you think. But for now, my people will look after you. Orius, have some men take care of young Peter and Isabel can take care of the Daughters of Eve. Once you are refreshed and changed, I wish to speak with you Ariel in my tent."

"Of course, Aslan," Ariel answered, bowing. The lion nodded and then disappeared back into the folds of his tent. A few female centaurs immediately rushed forward and guided the girls to their tent as the crowd dispersed, but as Ariel turned around and saw the retreating figure of Aslan, she knew that there was more to this problem than the great lion was letting on. And she was determined to find out for Peter's sake, his sisters' sakes and, if she was being one-hundred percent honest with herself, her own.

**So...hoping to reach at least 55 reviews before chapter seven comes up! So, for those of you following this story, reviews are what inspire me to create such awesome chapters, so review, review, review! Hope to have the next chapter up sometime soon! Got run off to zumba now! Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	7. Chapter 7

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**I'M ALIVE everybody! First, I must apologize for being gone so long! But school and life got in the way. But I finally sat down and wrote this chapter AT LAST! Second, thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, HighQueenP, flamedragon242, dreamlighting, Guest, newgirl5, StarlightShivers, Katie, sardellihalas, IAmTheDragonEmpress and In-The-Shadow-Of-the-Robot! You guys rule! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and please continue to review this story as it progresses! Review and tell your readers and friends about this story because I _really_ want it to go places! Other than that, I hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Seven-Talking With Aslan and Battle By The Stream

The girls' tent was quite large and spacious, with three, comfy, queen-sized beds arrayed with a hue of silks and quilts. Lucy immediately jumped onto hers and bounced on it, giggling at the springiness of the mattress. Susan merely gazed around in wonder at the rich furnishings. Ariel's mind was far away from the tent and its surroundings and more on what in the world Aslan could possibly want to talk to **her** about.

"Your Majesties," said a kind, soft voice. The girls turned and saw three, female centaurs standing in the doorway of their tent. They bowed to the three girls. One of them with red hair a shade or two darker than Ariel's own hair stood before them in front of the other two. She had almost a regal bearing that made Ariel think that she was somehow Queen of the Centaurs.

"My name is Ophelia," the female centaur informed them. "The others are my sisters: Adele and Marianne," she continued, pointing to the other two female centaurs. "Your gowns have been laid out for you, my Queens, and we will dress you hair for you if you so wish it." The girls turned and saw that each bed had a gown on it.

"Thank you very much," Susan told them gratefully. Lucy ran towards the bed and picked out the red one. She hurried changed out of her ordinary clothes and into the dress. It looked lovely on her.

"I like this one! And it's just my size as well!" Lucy crowed excitedly. Ariel smiled as she approached a bed with a dark, forest-green gown. It was very fancy, almost like what a medieval princess would wear while out on a hunt with the court. Ariel quickly slipped out of her clothes and into the dress. The neckline was low enough to show her chest, and Marianne combed and braided her hair. When she was done, Ariel stared at the braided crown that wound around her head while the rest of her hair hung loose and looked fresh and shiny.

"You look lovely, Ari!" Lucy said, beaming. "Like a real princess!"

"Thanks, Lu!" Ariel replied, smiling warmly at the little girl.

"Peter won't be able to keep his eyes off you!" Susan chuckled. The dress which Susan wore was almost the same shade as Ariel's gown. At the mention of Peter, Ariel's cheeks burned hotter with the heat of a deeper blush. **Would** Peter find her attractive now that she looked more like a girl from a fairytale?

"Milady," Ophelia said to Ariel, bowing reverently. "Aslan is awaiting you in his tent. He wishes to speak with you."

"Thank you Ophelia," Ariel answered kindly. The female centaur nodded and then exited the tent followed by her sisters. Then, Ariel turned to Lucy and Susan, both of whom were standing close to the doorway of the tent.

"I suppose I should go and see Aslan," Ariel said, breaking the silence.

"We'll be by the stream close to the camp," Susan informed her. "You can come join us there after you talk with Aslan. If you want."

"I'd love to, Susan," Ariel responded, smiling. "I'd better go." She hurried out of the tent and made her way through the bustling busyness of the camp. She reached the door to Aslan's tent and wondered if she should simply walk in or somehow find a way to knock.

"Enter Ariel, Daughter of Eve!" Aslan commanded in his firm yet gentle tone. Shocked that he'd known she was outside this entire time, Ariel stepped inside the wide, spacious tent and stood before the golden lion.

"Please, sit," Aslan told her, gesturing to a chair nearby. She did so and the lion came next to her, his brown eyes kind and yet piercing. "I suppose you wonder why I've called you here, young one."

"Sort of, yes," Ariel mumbled.

"Ariel, you don't have to be afraid to tell me anything," Aslan said kindly. "I will never judge you. Now, tell me why you feel so poorly about yourself."

"How...how did you...?"

"You have the aura of one who carries great burdens on her shoulders. I could sense it the first time I saw you."

"Well...I haven't exactly had a very pleasant life back home. People have teased me, insulted me, made me feel worthless! And...oh, Aslan! I feel as though they're right!"

"Why do you say that, my child?"

"Look at me, Aslan! I don't have what it takes to be a queen! I can't be a queen! Queens are beautiful, wise, cunning, caring, and know how to rule! They're good people! They're like Cleopatra or Elizabeth I. Susan will be a great queen, and so will Lucy! But me?! The Prophecy made a mistake!"

"You doubt the Prophecy?" Aslan repeated.

"Yes! I doubt everything! It's not logical! I'm not pretty enough, smart enough or..."enough" to be a queen! I'd have to have had training and a proper education in royal procedure and been born into a noble family! I'm not cut from the same cloth as the queens who ruled back in the days of knights and chivalry and war. I'm not even enough to attract a boy's attention."

"You mean...Peter?"

"Well...I...no. I mean...maybe."

"Ariel..."

"Alright! I think I like him! More than as a friend! But look at me! I'm a geek! A nobody! And he's going to be a king! He'll have beautiful princesses throwing themselves at him! He'll **never** look at me."

"Logic is indeed a gift. But overused, it can quickly become a curse, for we begin to analyze everything with logic and nothing with the heart. Now, what is your heart telling you, Daughter of Eve?"

"I...I don't know." She felt the tears coming and took off her glasses to wipe them away.

"Put them away," she heard Aslan say.

"What?" she questioned.

"Your glasses," Aslan informed her. "You won't have need of them."

"But Aslan! I can't...!" Ariel began to protest, but the lion simply placed a paw on the hand that held the glasses.

"Trust me, my child," he told her. Then, she felt his warm breath upon her eyes. She leaned back and blinked a few times before the blurry vision before her became a clear picture of the golden, brown-maned lion. He smiled as she gazed down at her hands, back at Aslan and around the tent.

"Aslan!" she breathed in amazement, taking a strand of her red hair in her hand and studying it with her healed eyes. Then, she threw her arms around the lion's neck, something her logic was screaming against doing, and hugged him. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"You are very welcome. Go on and enjoy your new eyesight with the ones you love, Ariel," Aslan chuckled. The young woman rushed out of the tent and hurried down the lane, taking in all the sights without the aid of specially-crafted lenses in her glasses. Then, she spotted Peter standing at the top of a hill. Picking up the skirt of her dress, she hurried up the hill, calling his name. He quickly turned around. Wearing a beautiful silver tunic with a golden lion on it as well as red pants, Peter looked the picture of a handsome soon-to-be king.

"Ariel! What is it?! What's wrong?" he asked her urgently.

"Look at my eyes," she told him. His eyebrows furrowed for a moment as he stared into her hazel eyes. _Wait a second!_ Peter thought to himself. _Didn't she always wear glasses?!_

"Where are your glasses?" Peter inquired.

"Gone," Ariel replied, beaming. "Aslan healed my eyes. I can see without them."

"That's wonderful, Ariel!" Peter shouted happily, grabbing her into his arms for a hug. "I'm really happy for you!"

"Thank you," Ariel answered. "I'm going down to the stream to tell Susan and Lucy the good news. Would you like to come?"

"Actually, I wish to speak with Peter for a moment, Ariel," Aslan told them, coming up beside the young man. "Then, he will come to the stream. Don't you worry." Ariel nodded and then exchanged goodbyes with Peter before hurrying down the hill and off to the stream. Susan and Lucy were both standing on the shores, gazing down into the waters.

"Susan! Lucy!" Ariel shouted, running towards them, holding the skirt of her dress to keep from tripping.

"What is it Ariel? Has something happened at the camp?!" Susan asked worriedly. Lucy looked a little scared.

"No. They're all safe," Ariel reassured them. Susan immediately relaxed and Lucy looked relieved, and then puzzled as she continued to stare at Ariel.

"Hey! Where are your glasses?" Lucy questioned, noticing straight away the difference in Ariel's appearance.

"Aslan healed my eyes!" Ariel told them excitedly. "I don't need my glasses anymore!"

"That's wonderful!" Susan cheered, smiling at her friend.

"You look even more beautiful without your glasses, Ari." Ariel blushed and stared at the ground for a moment. "And Susan looks like Mum!"

"Mum hasn't had a dress like this since before the war," Susan reminded Lucy, gazing down at her gown.

"We should bring her one back. A whole **trunk **full!" Lucy exclaimed happily, her eyes lighting up at the mention of her mother. Ariel felt herself thinking about her own mother at that moment. Were she and Uncle Digory were worried? How long had they been gone?

"If we ever get back…" Susan breathed. Lucy's face fell and Ariel put a comforting hand on her shoulder, which didn't go missed by Susan.

"Sorry I'm like that," she apologized. Then, she smiled. "We used to have fun together, didn't we?"

"Yes," Lucy agreed. "Before you got boring." Then, Lucy began laughing and Ariel couldn't help but giggle as Susan's eyebrows raised and she got a playful smile on her face.

"Oh really?" she asked before leaning down and splashing Lucy with water. Lucy screeched and then splashed Susan. Susan got soaked and then splashed more water at Lucy, which missed and hit Ariel straight in the face. Wiping the water out of her eyes, her jaw dropped as she took in her soaked hair and the coldness of the water as it seeped into the fabric of her dress.

"Oh it's on!" she declared, grinning and then splashing both Susan and Lucy. The water fight continued spiritedly for another few minutes before Lucy's teeth began chattering and Ariel started to shiver. Despite that, this was the first time Ariel could recall having so much fun before in her life.

"We'd better get dried off before Peter comes and find us all soaking wet," Susan chuckled. "Especially you, Ariel."

"Yes," Lucy seconded, giggling. "He'd think we tried to drown you or something!"

"He's not like that!" Ariel argued, turning crimson as they headed up the small hill for the towels that'd been left for them. She was thrilled at the prospect of Peter possibly liking her, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a little angry. Was he going to treat her like a piece of china, constantly helping her and making sure she didn't break because she looked "fragile"? She may not have been the strongest girl around, but she was certainly no delicate flower either.

"He can become very territorial with people he loves, Ariel," Susan informed her. Ariel blushed. _People he **loves**?_

"He **does** like you, Ari," Lucy confirmed. "I'm only eight, and even I know that."

"Lucy!" Ariel chided playfully, ruffling the little girl's wet hair. Susan laughed and reached for the towel. But when she pulled it off the line, a loud growl emerged from behind. Ariel and Susan screamed while Lucy grabbed a hold of Ariel's arm.

"Please don't run. We're tired," Maugrim said in that deceptively soothing tone.

"And we'd prefer to kill you quickly," his comrade finished as he emerged from behind a tree nearby. Ariel's brain was whirling, but apparently Susan's was not. She threw the towel at the wolf and then snatched up her horn, blowing it loudly. It was then that Ariel spotted her _narigata _resting against the trunk.

_Trust your instincts. _Father Christmas had told her. _Let them guide you. Believe in yourself and these weapons will bend to your will._

_I know what I have to do,_ Ariel said in her mind. _Keep Lucy and Susan safe until help arrives._

"Susan! Lucy! Into the tree! Now!" Ariel ordered in a voice that even she didn't recognize. It was filled with strength and bravery. She hurried to the trunk and seized the _narigata_, taking it up in her hands and holding one of the curved, bladed edges at Maugrim. "Leave the wolves to me!"

"Ariel, are you mental?!" Susan shouted.

"Go!" the young redhead ordered, swiping at the two predators with the blade to discourage them from trying to get to either of the girls. She watched Lucy and Susan climb up into the tree and sit up on the high branches. Then, she narrowed her eyes at Maugrim and gripped the staff of the _narigata_ tightly.

"You don't have the guts to kill, Daughter of Eve!" Maugrim growled as he began to circle her with his comrade. "You're not one for bloodshed!"

"I won't stand by and watch you hurt people I love, you...you...**beast**!" Ariel threw back, keeping the blade level with Maugrim's yellow eyes. The wolf chuckled.

"You think you can be a queen, little girl?" Maugrim challenged. "You don't even know who you are! Let me tell you then: you're a redheaded, little nobody masquerading as some brave warrior princess who wants to be a queen! Why? Is it to impress that Son of Adam?!" Ariel's eyes widened and Maugrim chuckled, knowing that he had her. "I've seen that kind of look in his eyes before. The pathetic little king's in love!"

"Don't you dare talk about him like that!" Ariel snarled, gripping the staff even tighter.

"Oh yeah! And what're **you** gonna do about it, little girl?!" Maugrim growled.

"Ariel! Behind you!" Lucy yelled. Ariel whipped around to see the other wolf soaring through the air at her. She felt its claw scratch her arm as she dodged the brunt of the attack. She looked and saw that it was bleeding. Ariel looked up in time to see the other wolf charging in for another attack. Twirling the _narigata_, she slashed out at the wolf, knocking it away hard. The predator snarled and limped from a cut to its side. Ariel looked and saw that one of her twin blades was stained with blood.

"You'll pay for that, you little human brat!" Maugrim snarled. He launched himself at her. She swiped at him but missed. She also make the mistake of turning her injured arm towards him, and she felt the pain intensify as Maugrim's claw sank even deeper into the wound. The pain was now too much to bear, and Ariel sank to her knees in the grass, one hand clutching the _narigata,_ the other trying to stem the bleeding.

"Now, you die, Daughter of Eve," the lead wolf whispered to her, slowly approaching her, the other wolf close behind.

"Get away from her!" shouted a familiar voice. Ariel looked up to see Peter running towards them, sword drawn and glinting in the light that flooded the area through the trees. He planted himself in front of Ariel and his younger sisters.

"Come on! We've already been through this!" Maugrim scoffed, turning his eyes to Peter. "We both know you haven't got it in you!"

"You're not going to hurt them!" Peter snapped, pointing the sword at Maugrim. "Any of them!"

"Peter! Watch out!"Ariel and Susan screamed, seeing the other wolf snarling at him from nearby. Peter's gaze leveled on it, but before it could pounce, with a mighty roar, Aslan pinned it to the ground. Orius and Aslan's other followers came hurrying behind him. The centaur unsheathed his weapons and prepared to charge into the battle, but Aslan held them back.

"No! Stay your weapons!" Aslan commanded. "This is Peter's battle!" Ariel backed away to near the foot of the tree where Susan and Lucy were still perched. Peter's eyes locked with Ariel's. Still clutching her injured shoulder, she nodded as if to say, "You can do this." He smiled, causing her to blush, and then looked back at Maugrim.

"You may think you're a king, but you're going to die… like a dog!" Maugrim yelled before he pounced on Peter. He had just raised his sword when the wolf's body covered his. Ariel screamed as Susan and Lucy yelled their brother's name. Running to the still bodies of the wolf, she shoved the corpse of Maugrim off of Peter and found him shaken, but still very much alive! Her arms were around him in an instant.

"You scared me!" she whispered to him. He hugged her back tightly, burying his face in her red hair.

"I scared myself too!" he told her in her ear before pulling back and looking into her face. He could now look into those beautiful hazel eyes of hers, eyes that were now shining brightly like polished jewels. _Don't get ahead of yourself, Pete!_ he reminded himself. _Slaying one wolf doesn't guarantee you'll win her heart!_ Ariel stepped back and allowed Susan and Lucy to hug their brother as well. Stealthily, she tore a strip from her dress and tied it over her wound, hiding it from the others. The other wolf managed to wriggle himself free and scurried off into the forest.

"After him!" Aslan told Orius. "He'll lead you to Edmund!" The centaur nodded and then looked at Ariel for some strange reason before his gaze returned to Aslan.

"Of course Ariel's going with you," the lion chuckled. The centaur smiled.

"Me?!" Ariel repeated. "But Aslan! I...!"

"I trust you, Ariel," Aslan told her confidently. "And I believe in you, too. Now, hurry! We mustn't let that wolf warn the Witch we are coming!" Ariel looked at Peter, who smiled and nodded. Then, she turned and looked back at Aslan.

"Alright. I'll go," she answered.

"Climb on my back, my queen," Orius instructed, kneeling down for her to do so. "It will make our journey faster." Ariel nodded, sheathed her _narigata _in the holder across her back, and was about to climb on when she felt someone grab her hand. She turned and saw that it was Peter.

"Be careful," he told her. She smiled at him. She couldn't believe the tenderness she saw in his eyes and his concern for her. Perhaps Susan and Lucy were right. Perhaps Peter really **was** in love with her.

"I'll bring him back," she replied firmly. "I swear it."

"I know you will." He took her other hand in his and held them both tightly against the fabric of his tunic. "But it's not just for my sisters' sake that I'm asking you to be careful."

"Who else's sake?"

"Well...Aslan's. The Narnians. And...**mine**."

"Yours?"

"**Especially** mine."

"Peter, I..."

"Ariel..." He wanted to say something more, but the words just couldn't form. For him or for her. With a final squeeze of her hands, Peter allowed her to climb onto Orius's back and watched as the two galloped after the small army Aslan had sent to save Edmund.

_Please come back safe, Ariel_, Peter silently prayed. _I want the both of you back here safe with us. You both mean so much to me. Please, come back safe._

**Aw! So adorable! But still...there's a long way to go before the romance is sealed with that oh-so-crucial first kiss. So...hoping to reach at least 65 reviews before chapter eight comes up, maybe even hoping for 70! So, for those of you following this story, reviews are what inspire me to create such awesome chapters, so review, review, review! Hope to have the next chapter up sometime soon...maybe as a Hallowe'en surprise! ;) Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	8. Chapter 8

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**Happy Hallowe'en everybody! So, I kept my promise and chapter eight is your Hallowe'en surprise for today! Yay! Second, thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, TheFebruaryRose, flamedragon242, dreamlighting, ariah23, Guest, sardellihalas, IAmTheDragonEmpress, Mirelien, WolfAssassin369 and narnianadharrypotter4ever! You guys rule! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and please continue to review this story as it progresses! Review and tell your readers and friends about this story because I _really_ want it to go places! So, chapter 8 at last! Woohoo! Enjoy it! ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Eight-Rescuing the Damsel-in-Distress and Secrets Revealed

"We're almost there, Commander Orius," one of the fauns reported as Orius and Ariel galloped alongside him. Ahead was some of the rescue party, but there were others behind them as well. Ariel felt the adrenaline in her veins flowing like a rushing river. She'd never imagined that she would be in a magical land and sent personally by the King of the Jungle to rescue a damsel-in-distress. She felt like Cleopatra or a Greek warrior princess.

"What is the plan, Your Majesty?" Orius inquired, looking briefly back at Ariel. She was stunned. Didn't they already have a plan in place? And if they didn't, Orius looked to be a seasoned commander and warrior. Surely **he** could come up with a strategy a thousand times better than her lame ideas.

"Well...they don't know we're coming," Ariel began nervously, praying that she wouldn't sound like an idiot to the veteran warrior. "So... we hit hard them and fast, grab Edmund and disappear before they can get into any sort of battle formation and overwhelm us."

"An excellent plan, my Queen!" the faun beside them exclaimed.

"It's really like what the Germans did in Poland before the war started officially," Ariel replied, blushing slightly. "They did lightning fast attacks before the Polish could really organize any type of defense."

"What are Germans?" Orius asked in confusion.

"What's Poland?" the faun questioned.

"Never mind," Ariel told them. Soon, the Witch's camp came into view and Ariel unsheathed her _narigata_ from its holder. Orius and the others stormed upon the camp, swords, battle axes, spears and knives glinting as they cut down the guards. The sound of battle was unfamiliar to a young woman such as her, and she immediately wanted to be as far from this place as possible. It had been a mistake coming here with the rescue party.

_But Aslan's depending on me,_ Ariel thought to herself. _Susan, Lucy, the Narnians, and...Peter. He's depending on me the most. I can't fail Peter! I won't! I've got to be brave!_

Ariel jumped off of Orius's back and immediately locked blades with a small dwarf that was standing next to a bound and gagged Edmund, holding a knife.

"You think you can beat me, little girl?" the dwarf challenged, trying to swipe at her with his knife. The _narigata_'s staff blocked the attack and Ariel quickly used one of the curved blades to slash the knife out of the little creature's hand and then, with a quick twirl, held the other against his throat.

"Don't move, you little pest! Or so help me God, I won't hesitate to cut your throat!" Ariel growled. "Or didn't you see that big, ugly mark on your wolf friend's side when he came running back here?!"

Orius quickly came over and cut Edmund free. He removed the gag and almost immediately looked at her. Orius begun tying up the dwarf to the post where Edmund had been bound, and Ariel couldn't help but smirk at the sight of the little bastard bound up with ropes.

"Ariel..." Edmund began to say.

"We can talk when we're far from this evil camp, Edmund," she cut in, picking up the dwarf's knife and then sticking it into the dwarf's ragged hat. Orius arrived and the two of them climbed onto his back as the rescue party vanished into the trees and back towards Aslan's camp.

* * *

"We are far enough from the Witch's camp to rest for a while, Your Majesties," Orius reported to Edmund and Ariel. They were sitting underneath a great oak tree, and Ariel was tending to Edmund's cuts and scrapes with a few ointments the healer had given her. "Nevertheless, I have posted guards in case we are being followed. In about an hour's time, we'll restart our journey. We should reach our camp before nightfall."

"Thank you, Orius," Edmund told him gratefully. The centaur bowed deeply and then trotted off to speak with one of the fauns on duty.

"Hold still, Edmund," Ariel instructed, dabbing a little of the healing ointment onto a small cloth. "This may sting your lip, but it will help that cut." With that, she gently touched the cloth to the boy's lip. He yelped and pulled back.

"Bloody Hell! That stings!" Edmund shouted, his hands shooting up to his flaming lip.

"Edmund Pevensie, watch your language!" Ariel scolded playfully.

"Stop it! You sound like Susan!" Edmund snorted, causing the two of them to laugh. Then, Edmund stopped and was silent.

"Why did you even come? To rescue me I mean?" Edmund asked, staring at Ariel. "Especially after I've been such a beast to you."

"Well...Aslan told me to go with Orius and the others," Ariel explained. "And...well... I was worried about you, Ed. And so are your sisters and your brother."

"Yeah right! Peter wasn't worried! He's **never** worried!" Edmund scoffed, narrowing his eyes.

"Just because he doesn't show it doesn't mean he's not worried," Ariel retorted gently. "Edmund, your brother was worried about you so much, I was worried that it was going to drive him mad. And don't even get me started on your sisters!"

"Pete was worried about **me**?"

"Of course he was. And he's been blaming himself for everything's that happened to you, to us. And honestly, I'm going to smack him any second."

"I'll be there to watch! Imagine: Peter getting slapped by the girl he's in love with!"

"Edmund! That's not true!"

"Yes it is! I've seen the way he looks at you! It's like the way Romeo looked at Juliet in that play! Believe me, Ariel: Peter **does** like you."

"Whatever."

"Why are you so unwilling to believe that my brother likes you?"

"I haven't exactly had the most pleasant experience with boys."

"What do you mean?" Ariel took a deep breath and then poured out the whole story about Jonathon to Edmund. When she finished, his eyes were dark with rage.

"Peter's nothing like that, Ariel!" Edmund told her firmly. "That sodding prick didn't know what an amazing girl he had by his side! Peter cares a lot about you. He wants you to be safe and happy. He'd never do something like that. All that Jonathon cared about was himself! I'd love to give him a good punch in the face! And I know Peter would too!"

"Edmund!" Ariel giggled, thinking about Peter punching Jonathon hard in the face, the boy who'd destroyed her heart going flying across a dirt pathway. Then, Peter would turn to her, his beautiful, blue eyes shining, his warm smile sending her heart racing, and…

"Earth to Ariel!" Edmund called, waving his hand in front of the silent girl's face. She quickly shook herself from the daze she was in, causing Edmund to smirk knowingly. She'd been thinking about his older brother. "Have a nice time with Peter wherever you went?"

"Oh shut up!" she chuckled, giving his shoulder a slight hit. Edmund snickered. Just then, Orius returned to the two teens.

"We are ready to continue our journey, Your Majesties," he informed them, bowing. "We don't have much further to go. I will be nearby and waiting to take you on my back."

"Thank you, Orius," Ariel told him. "You are indeed a brave warrior, and a kind centaur." Orius smiled and then, with a deep bow to first Ariel and then Edmund, trotted a short distance away. Edmund got up, brushing dirt and grass and seeds from his clothing. Then, he extended a hand to Ariel, who grasped it and allow him to haul her up. She gasped in pain when she felt her wound from the wolves burning underneath the torn cloth from her dress.

"What's wrong?" Edmund questioning, looking slightly worried.

"It…it's nothing," Ariel answered, now fighting back a look of pain as her head began aching. "I…I must've stubbed my foot on a rock or something." Edmund looked skeptical, but said nothing as the two climbed onto Orius's back.

* * *

Inside his tent, Peter was pacing up and down. It was almost dark, and there was still no sign of the rescue party. He was worried out of his mind. Were they captured? Was Edmund dead? Was Ariel safe or was she injured and being held prisoner by the White Witch? Ariel. Brave, beautiful Ariel. She was the one half his heart was worried about. He had to admit that he missed her, that he wanted her to be back here with him, safe and sound. Sighing, he sat down on the edge of his bed and remembered talking about her with Aslan on the hillside:

_Peter's gaze turned back to the glittering object in the distance, twinkling like a diamond in the light of the beautiful, warm sunshine. _

"_That is Cair Paravel, the castle of the five thrones,"_ _Aslan had told him, coming up beside him. Ariel had just left to go to the stream to find Susan and Lucy and show them her newly-healed eyes. Peter himself was happy for her. He loved the color and shape of her eyes as well as the way they seemed to shine like jewels whenever she smiled._

"_One of them will be yours, Peter, as High King," Aslan finished. Peter looked away, skeptical about him being good enough to be a king._

"_You doubt the Prophecy?" Aslan prodded._

"_I can't be High King, Aslan," Peter protested. "I…I'm not good enough."_

"_You express the same doubts as Ariel," Aslan replied. Peter frowned._

"_Ariel will be a great queen. She's intelligent, witty, beautiful, kind, and …"_

"_You have feelings for her," Aslan finished, chuckling when he saw Peter's cheeks redden. _

_"I…I don't know what this is between me and her," Peter confessed. "There's just something about her that just makes me feel so…so…different. Like I can barely speak properly when she's around, that my heart starts racing in my chest whenever we're near each other, that I want to hold her in my arms and… I don't know what to do. What if I tell her and she doesn't feel the same way? I'll look like an idiot!"_

_"You will never find that out unless you tell her how you feel, Peter," Aslan counseled. "But I do not doubt that Ariel may very well return these feelings, and that she will love you as the Narnians will love you."_

"_You don't know me, Aslan," Peter argued._

"_Peter Pevensie, formerly of Finchley," Aslan informed him. Peter's head whipped towards Aslan. "Beaver also mentioned you planned on turning him into a hat." Peter smiled while the lion chuckled again before becoming serious again. "Peter. We all have doubts about ourselves, but I do not doubt that you will be a good king to Narnia."_

"_But I couldn't even protect my own family! And Ariel…"_

"_You've brought them safely this far."_

_"Not all of them."_

"_Peter. I will do what I can for your brother. But I need you to do something for me. I too want my family safe. If anything should happen to me, I want you to lead them into battle against the Witch."_

_"Aslan, I…" Just then, the sound of a horn echoed across from the direction of the stream. _

_"Susan!" Peter cried, running down the hill towards the stream, his hand on the hilt of his sword._

Peter was snapped out of his memory by the low sound of a horn. He immediately emerged from his tent and almost collided with a faun, who was on his way to the edge of the camp.

"What's happening?" Peter questioned urgently.

"The rescue party has returned, Your Majesty," the faun replied. "Come. I will take you to them." Peter walked alongside the faun, his mind whirling as questions flooded his brain. When they reached the edge of the camp, he saw Orius with two, very familiar people on his back. His heart rate immediately calmed down, and a wide smile broke out on his face. Edmund slid down from the centaur's back before helping Ariel down, who was rubbing her arm and had a pained look on her face.

"Thank God they're both safe," Peter breathed, running to his brother and embracing him. Edmund was shocked at first, but then gingerly returned the hug. Then, he turned to Ariel, who looked at him and smiled through the pain.

"Is your arm alright?" he inquired.

"Yes, it's…it's fine," she replied in a thin voice. "I just bruised it is all." Peter then drew her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

"I was worried sick about you two," he murmured into her hair as he buried his face in her red locks.

"You need to cut that out, Peter," Ariel told him, the burning sensation in her arm reaching a new height of pain. Her headache was blaring in her head, and she felt herself slowly begin to drift in and out of consciousness. "Otherwise, you'll…age before... you…know... it."

"Ariel?" he prodded as he noticed she was starting to sway on her feet a little.

"Peter," she whispered before her body went slack and tumbled towards the ground. Peter quickly caught her and panic immediately filled his veins as she looked unconscious.

"Ariel?! Ariel?!" Peter shouted, shaking her slightly. She didn't respond.

"What's wrong?!" Edmund demanded, hurrying over to the two. "What happened to her?!"

"I don't know!" Peter yelled in horror. He pressed an ear close to her mouth, but felt nothing. "She's not breathing! Oh God!" He quickly scooped her up into his arms and ran with her through the camp, yelling, "Aslan! Aslan!" Edmund, Orius and the other members of the rescue party followed in his wake as he came to a halt before the great lion, who met them halfway down the path to his tent.

"What is it, Peter?" Aslan asked.

"It's Ariel. She's not breathing," Peter told him, trying his best to hold back tears. "I don't know what's wrong with her."

"Summon the healer!" Aslan commanded. "Bring her to my tent, Peter! I don't want your sisters to worry! You come as well, Edmund!"

Hurrying down the path, Peter ran as fast as he could, carrying Ariel in his arms, her limp body jostling against him, spurring him on. He was silently praying that it wasn't too late, that she would be alright. If it was too late, if they couldn't save her, if she was…Peter ran faster, Edmund breathing hard as he ran alongside his brother. Finally, they hurried into Aslan's tent.

"Place her on the bed, Peter," Aslan instructed. Peter hurried over and tenderly laid the young woman out on her back on the bed. She looked a little bit like Sleeping Beauty, which made Peter's heart burn even more. Just then, an elderly faun came bursting into the tent.

"Your Majesties," the healer said, bowing to Edmund, Aslan and Peter. Then, he saw Ariel lying still on the bed and crossed the tent and knelt by her side. Touching a hand to her forehead, he kept it there for a moment before removing it.

"She's burning up with fever," the healer told them. "Was she experiencing any symptoms of fever? Headache? Nausea?"

"No. But she was rubbing her arm a lot," Edmund informed the healer.

"She was doing that a lot when I was talking to her right before she fainted," Peter added.

"And when I pulled her up from the grass, it was almost as if something in her arm was causing her pain," Edmund continued.

"Like her arm had a wound?" the healer prodded.

"What?" Peter questioned, looking shocked.

"But I didn't see any wounds on her," Edmund countered.

"My King, which arm was she rubbing?" the healer inquired.

"The left one," Edmund answered. Peter nodded, confirming this. The healer turned and inspected the left arm, his eyes spying the torn piece of fabric that was wrapped around the wound. He untied it to reveal a red, swollen, deep wound surrounded by a yellowish liquid.

"As I suspected," the healer concluded. "This wound is infected. And by the looks of it, she received it recently."

"How?" Edmund asked.

"Well, this looks like some sort of animal's claw," the healer replied, inspecting the infected wound. "Some sort of predator. Like a cougar or lion…" Aslan gave a slight snort. "Or…"

"A wolf," Peter breathed in recognition. "By the stream! The wolves! One of them must've scratched her when she was protecting Susan and Lucy!"

"That would match with the timeline of the injury," the healer agreed.

"Can you save her?" Peter asked, the desperation and anxiety in his voice clear to all those present.

"It will be tricky," the healer answered. "The wound is badly infected. But she is young and strong. I will do my best, Your Majesty to save Queen Ariel. I give you my word."

"Thank you," Peter told him. The healer nodded and then dug into a cloth satchel by his side.

"There is little more you can do for her, Peter," Aslan told him gently. "Go and rest. Edmund, come with me. We have some things we must discuss."

"Alright, Aslan," Edmund replied, looking somewhat ashamed and somewhat afraid of what would happen. Just then, Ariel began moaning, "Jonathon" over and over again. The healer's face was puzzled, but Peter's face turned scarlet and he hurried out of the tent. With a look and a nod from Aslan, Edmund dashed after his brother.

"Peter! Oi! Wait up!" Edmund shouted, running after his brother, who was striding angrily towards his tent.

"I was a fool! A complete and utter idiot! She never liked me!" Peter roared, gripping his hair with his hands.

"What the Hell makes you say that?!" Edmund demanded, seizing his brother's hands and holding them down by his sides.

"She was saying "Jonathon" over and over again!" Peter reminded his younger brother. "He's obviously her boyfriend! Otherwise, why would she...?!"

"That sodding prick is **not** her boyfriend!" Edmund snarled defensively. Peter began to calm down as he studied his brother.

"How do you know?" Peter asked him.

"I can' t tell you," Edmund replied, looking away.

"Did he do something to her?" Peter prodded. Edmund kept his gaze averted. "Ed?"

"Peter, I..."

"Ed! Tell me!"

"I don't if I..."

"TELL ME!"

"Fine. But you have to swear not to tell **anyone**," Edmund told him firmly. Peter nodded, and then Edmund told his older brother what Ariel had confessed to him, including her doubts about Peter having feelings for her. When he was done, Peter's face was red with anger.

"That sorry, little prick!" Peter growled. "If I ever get my hands on him, why I'll...!"

"Take it easy, Peter," Edmund advised, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I wanna take a swing at him, too. But I don't think Ariel would want you to get into a fight over her. She thinks more of you than that."

"She does?"

"Yes. I think she likes you. As more than just a friend, Peter. And I know that you like her too."

"What? Ed, I..."

"Don't try to deny it, Pete. From the very first time you looked at her, I knew you liked her. And there's nothing wrong with admitting that you're in love."

"Maybe you're right."

"I **know** I'm right. Now, Aslan's waiting for me, and I believe that a certain young queen-to-be is going to want her knight-in-shining-armor by her side when she wakes up."

"Thanks, Ed." The two brothers embraced before they left Peter's tent. Aslan was waiting outside for Edmund, and the two walked down the path towards the edge of the camp. Peter walked back to Aslan's tent and found the healer wiping his hands on a small cloth.

"How is she?" Peter inquired. The faun was startled slightly, but he managed to bow before rising from his knees and facing the young man.

"She's very lucky," the healer explained. "I thought that her blood had been poisoned by the infection and that there would be little time before we...lost her. It's a miracle that all I had to do was clean out the infection and sterilize it and bandage it. Her fever is slowly diminishing and her nightmares have ceased. For the time being."

"Nightmares?" Peter repeated.

"Yes," the healer confirmed. "That was why she was moaning that Jonathon name. Soon after you left, she was screaming for him to stop hurting her, and then..."

"Then what?"

"Then, she...she spoke your name, Your Majesty."

"**My** name?"

"Yes. She was calling out for you to help her, to save her. In her nightmares, you were her only hope against this beast named Jonathon."

"Is she awake?"

"No. I gave her a draught to induce sleep. Fear not, My King. The draught is one that prevents dreams and nightmares. She will awake with a slight pain from the wound being cleaned, but she will make a full recovery."

"Thank you so much," Peter told him gratefully. "From her as well as me. You will be well-rewarded for this. I promise you this as the future High King of Narnia."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," the healer replied, bowing humbly before he left the tent. Peter then took up a stool and sat beside the entrance to the tent, keeping watch over Ariel as she slept a dreamless sleep. _I'll never let her get hurt again,_ Peter thought to himself as sleep now drifted over his eyes, causing his eyelids to droop. _I can't. She means too much to me for me to be so careless with her life in the future. Even if I have to die myself, I'll make sure that she and my family are safe. By Aslan's mane, I swear it, Ariel!_

And with this unspoken declaration to the young, sleeping redhead, Peter allowed himself to be wrapped up in the arms of a dreamless sleep.

**Wow! So, the declaration wasn't the "I love you" that some of you were hoping for, but hey! I'm building to it...and their first kiss! So, reviews are what inspire me to create such amazing chapters for your reading pleasure! So, please review and tell your friends and readers about me and this story (and my other ones if you follow any of my other ones)! Happy Hallowe'en everybody! P.S.-To all my readers who live in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy, I hope you're all OK and that you will be able to get back to your regular routines soon! **

**Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	9. Chapter 9

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**I'M ALIVE EVERYBODY! I am SO SORRY for leaving this story for so long, but school was keeping me occupied! Thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, flamedragon242, Juliet, Guest, IAmTheDragonEmpress, MissPixieM, WolfAssassin369 and Narnia and Harry Potter 4 EVER! You guys rule! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and please continue to review this story as it progresses! Review and tell your readers and friends about this story because I _really_ want it to go places! So, we are finally in chapter 9! Enjoy it! ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Nine-Royal Weapons Practice and The Witch's Demand

Ariel's eyes fluttered open slowly as she sat up and moaned. She felt a sharp, stinging pain in her left arm that burned like a newly-lit fire. _Damn wolves and their sharp claws! _Ariel thought to herself. _And damn me for not remembering that wounds can get infected! _ She looked and saw that the wound had been bandaged with fresh, clean linen. And her head wasn't hurting anymore.

"Good. You're finally awake," said a voice that made Ariel's heart leap. She turned her head towards the sound and was soon gazing at Peter, who was sitting on a wooden stool by her bedside, arms crossed over his chest. "How are you feeling?"

"A stinging pain in my arm and a little bit of exhaustion, but other than that and a lot of hunger, I'm alright," Ariel replied, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Peter came over and sat down beside her on the bed, turning her face towards his with his fingers.

"Do you know how close we came to losing you?!" Peter demanded. "The healer said if you hadn't returned when you did, you could've _died_ from that infection, Ariel! **You could have died!**"

"I know, Peter! I know!" Ariel snapped, trying to look away from his piercing, blue eyes. The pain in them was too much for her to bear. She didn't want him to know about her nightmares, about Jonathon hurting her in every possible way, about her desperately screaming his name, hoping for him to come and save her, to defend her, to care for her.

"Why didn't you tell anybody? Edmund? Orius? Me?" Peter questioned. "And while we're on the subject, how did you even get that wound from the wolves in the first place?!" It was hard not to sound angry right then for Peter. He wasn't angry at her, though. He could never be angry at her. He was more angry at the fact that she'd nearly died and he could've done nothing to save her from that fate.

"It happened during the battle," Ariel replied. "The wolves managed to dodge my hits and caught my unguarded arm." She sighed. "Guess I need a lot more work with my _narigata_ if I'm ever going to become some amazing queen of Narnia."

"**A** **lot**?!" Peter repeated, sounding nothing less than shocked. "Ariel, you were…wonderful!"

"I didn't kill a wolf. I didn't save Lucy and Susan. **You** did, remember?" Ariel reminded him bluntly, standing up from her bed and feeling slightly dizzy. Peter was at her side in an instant, gripping her arm and keeping her steady. As much as her heart swooned at the contact between them, she also couldn't help but feel slightly angered. Everyone was always treating her like a piece of china or something that was very delicate. She wanted to prove that she could be brave and courageous, even if she was injured.

"Ariel, I was lucky. That wolf could've very easily killed me," Peter countered, holding her chin in his hand so that he was looking directly into her hazel eyes. "I'm just as new to this as you are. Besides, you're a hero too. You helped save Edmund. You maimed that other wolf. You protected my sisters until I got there. You were amazing."

"You really think so?" Ariel asked him in amazement. Peter smiled and nodded. "I…I'm just so used to thinking that I'm no good at anything, that I can't defend myself properly, and that I'm weak."

"You are the furthest thing from weak I've ever seen, Ariel," Peter told her kindly. "You just have to believe in yourself, and what happened yesterday will keep happening to you."

"I hope not," Ariel chuckled, gazing at the bandage on her arm. "I don't want any more battle wounds. Nor do I need them."

"You know what I mean, my little warrior princess," Peter laughed. Ariel felt something swoop over her when he called her that. No boy had ever called her by a special name; not even Jonathon.

"Your warrior princess?" It was then that Peter began to blush and looked quite nervous. Ariel could've laughed. The future High King of Narnia was nervous in the presence of a plain, little bookworm like her?

"Forgive me, Ariel. I didn't mean to be so forward. I…" Ariel put a finger to his lips and stopped him, almost fainting from the feel of his soft lips on her finger.

"No. You weren't being forward. I…I…I like the sound of it," Ariel said, smiling. Peter smiled too and then gently took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly.

"I like the sound of it too, Ariel." His voice was soft and sweet, and his eyes were just so hypnotic that Ariel felt as though she was in a trance. Just then, Ariel's stomach began rumbling loudly, interrupting the romantic moment between the two. Ariel groaned while Peter laughed.

"C'mon! Ed's probably up by now, too!" Peter chuckled, keeping a tight hold of her hand. "Let's get you fed, my little warrior princess!"

* * *

Outside, close to the edge of a hill, Lucy, Susan and Edmund were seated on rocks, enjoying a hearty meal prepared by Aslan's cooks. Peter and Ariel arrived, greeting everyone cheerfully enough. Susan smiled at Ariel when she noticed her brother's hand and Ariel's entwined together. Edmund only smirked and bit into another piece of toast on a plate of five slices. _He **must** be famished! _Ariel thought to herself as she sat down between Lucy and Edmund. _But the feeling's mutual! So am I!_

"How are you feeling, Ariel?" Susan inquired.

"Famished," Ariel replied before digging in to the food as though she was never going to eat again.

"Narnia isn't going to run out of toast, you two!" Lucy giggled as she witnessed Ariel and Edmund stuffing their faces with food. Susan and Edmund began laughing, and as she chuckled, Ariel's eyes landed on Peter, who was wearing a serious look on his handsome face. _Handsome?!_ Ariel thought to herself in shock. _Dear Aslan! I think I really **am** in love with him!_

"Make sure you pack some for the journey back," Peter told them. Ariel stared at him in disbelief. He ran a hand through his tousled blond hair and sighed as if this had been something he'd been contemplating all night long.

"We're going home?" Susan asked, looking slightly shocked at the fact. It was true that she had been the most vocal about turning back, but Ariel could sense that the magic of Narnia was starting to weaken her resolve. Even Ariel, who had always been one for logic and reasoning, was starting to believe more in magic and destiny and fate.

"You four are," Peter replied. Ariel looked at Lucy, who was staring at her in shock as well. Edmund looked confused.

"I promised Mum I'd keep you three safe. And I can't risk Ariel getting hurt again," Peter explained, his blue eyes falling on the young redhead. "But there's no reason I can't stay behind and help."

"But they need us!" Lucy protested. Then, she looked around at the other four people around her. "All **five** of us!"

"Lucy, it's too dangerous!" Peter argued. "You almost drowned! Edmund and Ariel were almost killed!"

"Which is why we have to stay," Edmund murmured. All eyes were on him as he raised his head and looked at his older brother. "I've seen what the White Witch can do. And…I've helped her do it. And we **can't** leave these people behind to suffer for it!"

"I agree with Edmund," Ariel agreed.

"No way, Ariel! If anyone's going to be the first to leave Narnia, it's you!" Peter told her fiercely. "I won't risk what happened by the stream happening again!"

"So much for thinking that I'm not weak," Ariel muttered loudly, but only loudly enough for Peter to hear.

"This isn't two wolves, a couple of minotaurs or anything minor, Ariel! This is **war**! People **die** in wars!" Peter shouted.

"You think I don't know that?!" Ariel countered hotly. "I'm not stupid, Peter!"

"I never said you were!"

"You're very good at implying it!"

"I…!"

"Oh, for Aslan's sake!" Edmund interrupted, causing everyone to look at him. He was smirking. "You two haven't even kissed yet, and you're already bickering like a married couple!"

"Edmund! Don't start!" Peter and Ariel snapped at him before looking at each other and then quickly looking away. Edmund just smirked triumphantly while Susan looked torn between jumping in or sitting there and laughing.

"She has to stay, Peter!" Lucy said defensively. "The Prophecy said two Sons of Adam and **three** Daughters of Eve! She's the third Daughter of Eve!"

"Look! I may not be your sister or anything, but I feel as though I'm a part of this family," Ariel voiced, sounding strong. "And families stick together…no matter what!"

"You **are** a part of our family, Ari," Lucy said, giving Ariel a huge hug. "You already feel a lot like my sister." Ariel smiled and returned it warmly, feeling the anger and rage dissipate from her being.

"Thanks, Lu. That means a lot," Ariel replied.

"Yeah. All that's left is for Peter to marry you, and then it'll be official!" Edmund snickered.

"Edmund!" Peter and Ariel shouted at him, trying their hardest not to blush in front of each other.

"What?" Edmund asked, feigning innocence.

"I agree with Ed. You two would make a lovely couple," Lucy agreed, smiling cheekily. Susan hid a smile behind her hand.

"Lucy!" they both shouted again. Ariel felt her face getting hot and didn't dare look at Peter, whose face was as red as a tomato right then.

"Well I guess that's it then," Susan commented, getting up from her seat and going over to where her bow and arrows rested.

"Where are you going?" Peter inquired.

"To get in some practice," Susan replied, smiling. Lucy immediately leapt up and followed her older sister to the archery butts for practice.

"I can't win!" Peter groaned, throwing his hands up in the air.

"What did you expect?!" Edmund countered cheekily. "You're dealing with our two, headstrong sisters and your stubborn, redheaded girlfriend!"

"Edmund! Stop!" Peter and Ariel shouted. Edmund smirked and then got up to go and find out from Orius where the training would take place for him and Peter.

"How come you're not going with Susan and Lucy?" Peter inquired, studying the redhead.

"I have a different weapon than all of you," Ariel reminded him. "I have to be trained by someone who specializes in foreign weaponry."

"And so you shall," a deep voice said from behind her. Ariel whipped around to see Aslan standing behind them. "One of the female centaurs will train you in using the _narigata_, Ariel. She will be waiting for you by the hillside close to the stream. You need not worry."

"Thank you, Aslan," Ariel told the Great Lion thankfully. "I just hope that I can learn something."

"You have started on the journey already, my dear. And I have the utmost faith that you will complete it." Then, the Great Lion went on his way, leaving Peter, Edmund and Ariel alone again.

"Can I walk you to practice?" Peter offered, turning back to Ariel. She nodded her head. Smiling, Peter offered her his arm and, linking her arm through his, they set off for Ariel's tent.

"Are you nervous?" Peter asked her as they walked past smiling Narnians, all of whom were watching the young couple with curiosity and slight looks of amusement.

"About practice or the Narnians who're staring at us?" Ariel replied, her eyes meeting those of some of the onlookers. Peter looked at a few of the observers and then chuckled.

"Practice," Peter answered. "All the Narnians are staring at you because you're a beautiful queen. Well, queen-to-be."

"And I suppose they're already pairing me with the handsome High King-to-be," Ariel said, smiling.

"Is that really such a bad thing?" Peter asked, playfully sounding insulted.

"If it were any other girl but me, then no," Ariel responded as they stopped at the entrance to her tent. She was about to go in and get her _narigata _when she felt a hand close around her wrist and gently pull her back. Ariel turned and looked into Peter's eyes as he spoke to her.

"What do you mean "any other girl but you? Ariel, you're amazing. You're sweet, kind, loving, courageous, beautiful and I..." Peter abruptly stopped, blushing as red as a tomato at the confession he would've blurted out. "I...I...I wish you could see what I see," he finished.

"Hopefully, one day I will," she answered.

"Is this about Jonathon? Ariel...that...that...that _bastard_ was the only person at fault, **not you!** He didn't know what he was giving up when he did that to you! And I swear that I am **nothing** like him! Ask Edmund! Ask Lucy! Ask Susan! They'll tell you...!"

"I believe you, Peter!" she shouted, causing him to close his mouth before he could say anything more. He looked shocked, but then relaxed when he saw her smiling. "I've seen who you are, Peter Pevensie. And I know you are **nothing** like...him. You're sweet, kind, brave, you love your family, quite stubborn and proud sometimes," she said, causing him to look shocked. "Oh, don't look so surprised! You have a streak of pride in you like everyone else! It's just yours is a little...wider. What else? You're also noble and selfless and handsome and..." She stopped, her mouth open as she saw him blush. "Peter, I..."

"You think I'm handsome?" he asked her, sounding shocked.

"Doesn't every girl think that about you?" she questioned. Peter didn't respond and Ariel quickly went inside and got her _narigata_. Laying it on the bed, she quickly changed into a brown, leather shirt with matching pants, a chainmail dress and brown, sturdy boots. When she returned, Peter was standing with his sword in its scabbard, the shield with the lion in hand. He was dressed in a black, leather vest and green pants and sturdy, black boots. He looked incredible, like a young warrior preparing for war.

"Shall we go, milady?" Peter asked, bowing to her.

"Why, thank you, good sir knight," Ariel replied, giggling as she curtsied.

"Did Aslan tell you that?" he inquired as they began to walk towards the training grounds.

"What?" she asked.

"That I'm a knight," Peter answered.

"You are?!" she cried with shock. He smirked at her, nodding.

"I am Sir Peter Wolfsbane, Knight of Narnia!" he declared, unsheathing his sword and holding it on a slant in front of him, like he was about to do battle. Ariel laughed so hard that she nearly fell onto the grass. Peter rolled his eyes and sheathed his sword again.

"You are **such** a drama king!" she laughed.

"Am not!" Peter denied.

"Are too!" Ariel shot back. "What would you call what you just did now?!"

"I ...alright. So maybe drawing the sword was a little...dramatic," he admitted.

"Told you so!" Ariel teased.

"Way to wound my ego, Ariel!" Peter playfully replied, picking up a handful of grass and tossing it at her. She laughed and ran from him, him chasing behind her. Just then, she tripped over a rock and tumbled into the grass with Peter close behind her. He was hovering above her, his dazzling, blue eyes twinkling with mischief as he grinned down at her. She smiled back at him. Then, his face took on a serious look as he cupped her cheek and began leaning down towards her lips. Ariel felt her breath catch in her throat as she slowly closed her eyes and waited for the contact that would send her into blissful oblivion. But then, there was a cough and Ariel opened her eyes as Peter quickly moved off of her. A female centaur dressed in battle armor was approaching them. Tall with long, brown hair, her eyes were bright, curious and amused as Peter grasped Ariel's hand and helped her up from the grass. She quickly sank into two, elegant bows.

"King Peter, Queen Ariel," she said. "My name is Marilla. I am one of Aslan's personal bodyguards and have been trained in the use of foreign weaponry. I believe I am to teach Her Majesty, Queen Ariel on how to battle with the _narigata_, a Japanese weapon of great power and strength. And I believe His Highness, King Peter, will find Orius beyond that hillside with King Edmund."

"Thank you, Marilla," Peter told her kindly. She bowed and watched as Peter took Ariel's hand up to his lips and planted a kiss on it.

"Milady," he said, smirking as he bowed to her.

"Sir Peter," she replied, curtseying and smirking as well. Then, he hurried off over the hillside to his lessons with Orius.

"Now, my queen. The _narigata_ is a powerful, Japanese weapon," Marilla explained. "The two, twin blades give it added power. This staff is especially strong and cannot be easily snapped by a sword stroke. Stand with your feet slightly apart, leading foot forward slightly, one of the blades pointing at me. Back straight. Eyes on me. Good grip. Excellent. Now, I want you to attack me and attack hard."

"Alright," Ariel agreed. Then, she rushed in for an attack only to be blocked. She barely dodged an attack from Marilla and then, the female centaur managed to get her sword under the _narigata_ and somehow flick it out of her hand. Then, with a sweep of the legs, Ariel was at Marilla's mercy.

"It's no use, Marilla," Ariel told her, sounding completely frustrated as she got up and retrieved the _narigata_. "I'm no good at this. I can't do it."

"Concentrate, my queen. And believe in yourself," Marilla told her. "With belief, the weapon will bow to your will." Ariel nodded and then, like a lightning bolt, the centaur came flying at her. Ariel parried the blow with the staff of her _narigata_ before ducking and dodging a swing that was aimed at her head. Jumping to avoid having her feet swept out from underneath her, she swung one of the curved blades at Marilla, who blocked it and came in for a quick counterattack. Blowing this one too, Ariel knew that the Witch would never attack her so easily or obviously, and that she needed to be prepared for the unexpected. Then, Marilla's sword found the same spot and swept the _narigata _out of her hand. On a sudden impulse, she did a backflip (she didn't even know how she'd done it) away from Marilla's quick attack and held out her hand as if she was summoning the spinning weapon back to her again. Then, as if it could sense her calling it back to her, the_ narigata _returned to her hand as if by magic. Ariel was stunned, but she managed to look up just as the centaur came flying towards her. She dodged to the side and then swept her legs out from under her before leaping onto her and resting one of the curved blades close to the female centaur's neck. Ariel was breathing hard as Marilla looked up and nodded at her young charge.

"Very good, Your Majesty," Marilla told her as Ariel removed the blade and helped her up. "Do you know why the blade returned to you?"

"Magic?"

"Yes, but do you know what kind?"

"No."

"The magic of confidence. Belief in the self can open doors to magic that even the most skilled wizards have never touched." Then, she looked at the hillside and smiled. "And it create fairytale endings even when we ourselves doubt that we can have a happily ever after. But I believe the High King and his brother are done with their lessons, my queen," Marilla informed her, smiling and chuckling as she saw Ariel blush and turn to the hillside. Edmund was seated on a beautiful, brown horse and looked pretty regal. Peter was on a magnificent, white horse that looked like something every king throughout history rode on. It was the conqueror's horse, the victor of a great battle. He hurried down the hillside with Edmund following close behind him.

"How is she doing?" Peter asked Marilla after he'd dismounted. The young, female centaur gazed down at the young redhead and smiled.

"Her Majesty is doing quite well for a beginner," Marilla informed Peter. "All she requires is confidence and belief in her abilities, and she will be unstoppable."

"I don't doubt that one bit," Peter told her, smiling at the young woman, who blushed and turned her face away. Peter's own cheeks became red as he felt embarrassed for embarrassing her. Marilla simply chuckled at the sight in front of her before she galloped off towards the camp. Peter and Ariel were finally able to meet each other's eyes.

"So? How was I?" Ariel asked.

"You reminded me of the Celtic warrior princesses my mother used to tell Susan and Lucy about when they were little girls," Peter replied, smiling at her. "You're getting better."

"Thanks," Ariel said, looking down at the ground. Then, she felt a gentle hand under her chin, and her gaze was elevated until she met Peter's eyes.

"Look at me, Ariel," he whispered to her, holding her gaze. "Don't look at the ground when you talk to people. It shows that you don't have confidence. And I know that an amazing girl like you has got to have confidence in you somewhere. Or she wouldn't be out here training with weapons."

"You're right," Ariel said, smiling. Peter returned the gesture and took his hand away from her chin.

"Aren't I always?" Peter replied, sounding smug. The young redhead rolled her eyes.

"Arrogant, little...!" Ariel began to grumble, but her words were interrupted by someone shouting.

"Peter!" Mr. Beaver cried, scampering as fast as he could towards the three youths. Edmund's horse immediately reared up on its hind legs and whinnied wildly.

"Whoa, horsey!" Edmund commanded, pulling on the reins.

"My name is Phillip," the horse replied, sounding slightly annoyed and causing Ariel to burst out laughing rather than recoil in shock and disbelief.

"Oh. Sorry," Edmund apologized as Peter and Ariel tried their hardest to hide their snickering.

"The Witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan!" Mr. Beaver shouted. Ariel stopped snickering and turned and looked at Edmund, who'd suddenly become as pale as a ghost. "She's on her way here!" Scrambling down from their horses, Peter took Ariel's hand and led her across the fields back to the camp at the entrance to Aslan's tent. All around them, Narnians had gathered to witness this meeting between their king and their sworn enemy and pretender-queen.

"Don't worry Edmund," Lucy reassured him. "Aslan will take care of this. I'm sure of it."

"I hope so, Lu," Edmund replied, not sounding too hopeful himself.

"Jadis! Queen of Narnia!" the crier announced. "Empress of the Lone Islands!" The Narnians booed and shouted at the White Witch, whom Ariel had never seen before today. She was tall with blond hair that was fixed in an upward style and ice-blue eyes that could not hide the evil of her soul. She held a wand of ice in her right hand like a scepter, and her dress was long and flowing. An ice crown was fixed upon her head. She was every inch a queen, and yet every inch an imposter. You could tell from the hate and lack of support that came from the people of Narnia. But the Witch stood when her litter was lowered and locked gazes with the Great Lion, as if they were somehow equals.

"You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan," she informed him. Every eye in the crowd turned and was fixed on Edmund, who was glancing down at the ground in shame.

"His offence was not against you," Aslan replied calmly but firmly.

"Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?!" the White Witch mocked in a jeering tone. Aslan gave a slight growl and narrowed his brown eyes.

"Do not cite the Deep Magic to **me**, Witch!" Aslan growled. "I was there when it was written!"

"Then you know, every traitor belongs to me," the Witch declared. "His blood is my property!"

"Try and take him then!" Peter challenged, drawing out his sword and pointing it directly at the Witch. One of the Minotaurs gripped his axe in his hand and was prepared to fight Peter, but the Witch held him back.

"Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right, little king?" she asked Peter. He dropped the sword after a moment, but he still stood his ground between Edmund and the Witch's forces. It was then that Ariel felt her anger boil over. The Witch's smarmy, condescending tone when she was talking to Aslan, when she'd just insulted Peter had broken Ariel's normal boundary for tolerance. Her _narigata _was out like lightning, one of the curved blades pointing at the Witch.

"The only right you have is the one to get the Hell out of here and still be in one piece!" Ariel snapped at the Witch. All eyes turned to the young woman, who stood firmly and bravely under the glare of the White Witch. "Edmund belongs with us! Your claim on him is as false as your claim to be Queen of Narnia!" Gasps of shock and wonderment whistled through the crowd as the Witch's eyes burned with resentment.

"How **dare** you speak to me like that, little girl!" she shouted in anger, her ice wand gripped tightly in her hand.

"I dare to because I can!" Ariel shot back. "If you want Edmund, Witch, then you'll have to go through all the Narnians, his family and **me** before one of your icy claws gets a hold of him! Until then, back the Hell off him! Or else!"

"Enough, Ariel," Aslan commanded firmly. Ariel then put away her _narigata_ and watched as the Witch's expression changed from resentment to arrogance once more.

"It does not matter what any little king or queen says," the Witch declared, turning to face the Narnians. "Aslan knows that if I do not have blood as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned, and perish, in fire and water! That boy!" she shouted, pointing at Edmund. "Will die on the Stone Table! As is tradition!" Then, she turned back to the Great Lion. "You **dare** not refuse me!"

"Enough! I shall talk with you alone," Aslan told her. The Witch nodded and, after shooting an icy look at Ariel, strode into Aslan's tent behind the lion himself. The air now became thick and heavy with silence and uncertainty as everyone sat down in the grass and waited for the verdict.

"Ariel!" Peter breathed in astonishment and amazement. "How did you...? Where did that...?"

"I guess...it just...came out," Ariel confessed, not knowing where her sudden burst of courage came from.

"Well I'm glad it did!" Lucy told her, smiling and hugging her. "You were wonderful, Ari! That Witch was horrible to you and Peter!"

"Well, I couldn't exactly allow her to insult the future High King of Narnia, now could I?" Ariel replied playfully, causing little giggles to erupt from Lucy and smiles on the faces of the other three.

"Of course you couldn't," Peter told her in a mock-kingly voice. "I'd have you beheaded for treason!"

"You'd have me, one of the future queens of Narnia, beheaded, Your Majesty?! I am shocked that I am so unfavored by a royal!"

"No, milady! You have my unending favor! And much more."

"How much more?" The question popped from Ariel's mouth before she could stop it. Peter's eyes became more serious, and his hand rested against her cheek.

"Everything I can offer you and more," he replied. Ariel suddenly felt her head spinning as Peter came a little closer to her. Then, a pointed cough came, which pulled Ariel and Peter back from the edge of the cliff.

"Do you really think this is the best time, Pete?" Edmund asked pointedly. Peter and Ariel blushed as the silence continued for a good while longer. Finally, the Witch and Aslan emerged from the tent. Everyone stood and Ariel watched the Witch's face. Her expression was hard and unreadable, but if Ariel had to hazard a guess, she'd say that the Witch had lost her claim on Edmund. Then, she turned and saw Aslan's face. His too was unreadable, but his eyes told another story. There was something sorrowful in them, which caused Ariel's heart to start beating faster.

"She has renounced her claim on the Son of Adam's blood!" Aslan declared. Cheers and shouts of joy erupted from the Narnians as Edmund's family hugged and kissed him, along with strangers and friends alike. Ariel found herself in Peter's arms, hugging him tightly and she felt his soft lips touch the skin of her forehead as a gentle kiss was planted there. She felt her spirits soaring on the clouds of the heavens.

"How do I know your promise will be kept?!" the Witch demanded from her litter. Aslan gave a great roar which sent the Witch scrambling back down into her seat. Laughs and cheers came from the Narnians as the Witch and her delegation exited the camp. Around her, celebrations swirled as Edmund was congratulated and hugged and patted. In the midst of the celebration, Ariel's eyes found Aslan's.

He didn't try to turn away from her or hide the sadness and woe that she could plainly see. It was then that Ariel realized that the promise had been made between the Witch and the Great Lion had not changed: blood was still necessary. But whose blood it would be had been the element that **had** changed. And now, Ariel knew what no one else, save little Lucy, in the Narnians' camp did or even dreamed of thinking.

Aslan was going to die.

**Poor Aslan! I always felt sad during this part of the movie and in this part of the book. But chapter 10 is preparation for the war and there are some promises that are going to be made between a certain redhead and a blond king-to-be. Maybe even a confession of love and...a kiss? You never know! ;) Anyways, I'll try not to take so long with the next chapter, guys! Anyways, in the meantime, review please and to all of those following this story, thank you SO MUCH! Also, could you leave a review please? I want to have at least 90 reviews before I post chapter 10, so...reviews please, starting...now!**

**Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	10. Chapter 10

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**I'M ALIVE EVERYBODY! I am SO SORRY for leaving this story for so long, but school was keeping me occupied! Thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, anniecarrots1, The February Rose, MCH, flamedragon242, Forest-Animal, Guest (M.R.), IAmTheDragonEmpress, EdmundPevensie for evermore, HighQueenP, my other Guest, prettyawesomegirl101, MischievousAngel0923 and Narnia and Harry Potter 4 EVER! You guys rule! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and please continue to review this story as it progresses! Review and tell your readers and friends about this story because I _really_ want it to go places! So, we are finally at chapter 10, and there's a BIG surprise! Enjoy it! ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Ten-The Sacrifice, Battle Plans and Pre-War Promises

The feasting and celebrations had lasted well into the night, and by the time Ariel laid her head down on her pillow, she was thoroughly exhausted and sad. All night, she had kept looking at Aslan, silently begging him not to do this, pleading with him to find another way. But he avoided her eyes every time, his answer clear to Ariel.

He was going to go through with his plan.

She couldn't enjoy the celebrations after that. Not even when Peter had asked her to dance (she'd turned him down, pleading a headache when in fact she was scared of stepping on his foot or doing something to embarrass herself in front of these strangers). She was glad to escape the celebrations when Lucy had fallen asleep and Susan had taken it upon herself to get her to bed. Ariel had timidly asked if she could accompany them back to their tent, and Susan had agreed. Now, as she lay beneath the sheets in her gown, Ariel found sleep evading her as Aslan's sad eyes haunted her. Just then, she heard a rustling outside of their tent and sat up in bed.

"Susan! Ariel!" Lucy hissed. Susan stirred and sat up as the shadow of a lion walked across the fabric of the tent. There was no doubt that it was Aslan.

"Come on!" Lucy whispered as she grabbed her cloak, fireflower cordial and dagger. Susan and Ariel both grabbed their cloaks and weapons and peered out of the tent to see Aslan walking slowly up the hill away from the camp. The three girls followed him swiftly and silently before the Great Lion stopped. Susan pulled the two girls behind a tree and they hid.

"Shouldn't you all be in bed?" Aslan inquired without turning around. Stunned that he'd known they were following him, Ariel, Susan and Lucy emerged from hiding.

"We couldn't sleep," Lucy confessed.

"Please Aslan. Couldn't we come with you?" Susan asked.

"I would be glad of the company tonight. Thank you," Aslan told them. "But I must request that Ariel leaves us when we are halfway there." Ariel opened her mouth to protest, but one, sorrowful look from Aslan had her snapping her mouth shut again.

"Alright," she agreed. They began walking again, taking them further and further away from the camp. Then, Lucy reached out and petted his mane. He didn't pull away from her, so Susan started to pet his mane and then Ariel joined them. Indeed, Aslan seemed fond of the loving, gentle touches he was getting from the three girls.

"We are halfway there," Aslan informed them. "From here, Ariel, only we three are to go on. Thank you for your company."

"Aslan, you can't do this!" Ariel burst out, throwing her arms around the Great Lion's neck. He placed a gentle paw on her back and hugged her.

"We must all do our duties, young one," he told her. "And you must do yours. The power of confidence is stronger than any sword, and can turn even the most average fighter into a fiercesome warrior. Believe in yourself, Ariel, and you will prevail."

"Yes Aslan," Ariel whispered. Then, he looked at her and smiled as if to say, _Don't worry, young Ariel. You will be a great queen. I know you will because I believe in you._ Then, Aslan turned away with Lucy and Susan following after him. Ariel slowly began her walk back down the hill before she sat down amongst the trees and just let her tears fall as she thought of the horrible things the Witch would do to Aslan. The woman had no heart, no blood; only ice flowed through her wicked body. _I swear that I'll make her pay for it!_ she thought angrily to herself. Just then, she heard twigs snapping and the sound of rustling leaves. Ducking behind some shrubs, she cautiously peered out and watched as minotaurs, werewolves, dwarves and other creatures marched by her, looking happy. And then, she saw the Witch. Holding a bloody knife in her hand.

"Now that the Great Cat is dead, we shall slay the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve and rule Narnia FOREVER!" the Witch declared to the roaring delight of her followers. "He thought his "love" could save them, but he has failed!" Ariel almost gasped aloud when she saw the golden hair hanging from around the Witch's neck. It was from Aslan's man. "And by this time tomorrow, Narnia will be MINE!" Ariel let the tears pour down her cheeks as the Witch and her followers marched through the forest. When the last of them was clear out of sight, Ariel ran.

She ran like she'd never run before. Her heart was shattered into pieces by the news of Aslan's death. She knew the Witch wasn't lying. The evil bitch had had a triumphant look in her eyes. And now, Ariel was certain that the Great Lion's life had been the price to pay for Edmund's pardon. Tears sprang to her eyes, but the wind whipped them back and away as she hurried back down to Aslan's camp. She was huffing and puffing before she finally reached the boys' tent. Entering it swiftly, she saw Peter and Edmund still fast asleep. Hurrying over to Peter, she noticed for a moment, how handsome he was even when he slept. But that could wait for another time. Right now, time was of the essence.

"Peter! Peter!" she hissed urgently, tears rolling down her cheeks as she thought of poor Aslan, lying on some stone table, dead. "Peter, please wake up! Please!" Peter moaned and then slowly sat up in his bed.

"Ari?" he mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes. He blinked and then saw her tears. In a flash, he was out of his bed and holding her tightly to him. "Ariel?! What's happened?! What's wrong?!"

"It's terrible, Peter!" Ariel sobbed, burying her face in his chest. He began stroking her hair as she sobbed and sobbed and sobbed.

"It's alright, Ari. It'll be OK, darling," he whispered to her, holding her tightly in his arms. Ariel slowly began to sniffle more than sob as her tears dried and hardened into streaks on her cheeks.

"Bloody Hell, Pete!" Edmund grumbled sleepily, tossing off the covers. "I'm trying to...!" Then, he saw the distressed look on Ariel's face. "Ariel! What's wrong?!"

"Oh, Edmund! Peter! It's Aslan! He..." Ariel began to explain, but just then a bunch of swirling of petals filled the room. Peter immediately drew his sword while holding Ariel close to him. Edmund sat up in bed, shocked as the petals formed into a female Dryad.

"Be still, royal ones," the Dryad told them gently, holding up a flower-petal hand. "I bring grave news from your sisters."

* * *

Ariel, Edmund and Orius stood outside Aslan's tent, waiting for Peter. Just then, Peter emerged from the empty tent, his face serious and grave.

"She's right," Peter told them gravely. "He's gone." Silence fell on the four of them as they mourned the loss of their commander-in-chief and great friend.

"Then...you'll have to lead us," Edmund told Peter. Ariel's and Peter's heads whipped up at the conviction in Edmund's voice. Ariel looked at him and saw that his capture and imprisonment in the hands of the Witch had changed him, made him more mature. She then turned and saw the disbelief and fear on Peter's face.

"Peter. There's an army out there," Edmund continued, sensing his brother's fear. "And it's ready to follow you."

"Edmund, I **can't**!" Peter protested, slamming his hands down on the wooden table. He looked so frustrated and scared that Ariel wanted to hug him.

"Aslan believed you could!" Edmund reminded him. "And so do I." Peter looked up and the two brothers locked eyes. Edmund simply nodded at him.

"Peter," Ariel whispered, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned instantly when she touched him, his eyes burning with fear and frustration. She would've shrunk back, but Peter needed her right now. "You can do it. We're all behind you with this. You have nothing to fear." Peter smiled and took Ariel's hand gently in his own before kissing her fingers, his lips softly brushing against them. Ariel felt her mouth turn up into a smile as well.

"The Witch's army is advancing, Sire," Orius informed him in a serious tone. "What are you orders?" Peter broke away from Ariel and then looked down at the vast map of the area called Beruna. It was a wide stretch of terrain

"Have we sent out a scout to see how large the Witch's army is?" Peter inquired.

"One of the gryphons has been sent out, Sire," Orius reported. "He has not yet returned, but the Witch's army is rumored to be large."

"What we need then is a way to deplete their numbers," Edmund theorized.

"Exactly!" Peter agreed.

"If only we could Blitz them before they could form a..." Ariel began to say, but then, like a lightning bolt, the idea hit her, lighting up her brain and sending her into a mental frenzy. "Wait a minute! That's it!" she shouted. All three of the men turned to her.

"What is it, Ariel?" Peter inquired.

"The London Blitz!" Ariel declared. Orius was confused, but Peter's and Edmund's faces lit up like lit Christmas trees.

"Ariel, you're brilliant!" Peter exclaimed, his eyes lighting up.

"Always knew you were a bloody nerd for a reason!" Edmund chuckled. Ariel blushed and lightly shoved him, smiling while she did it.

"I am confused, Your Majesties," Orius informed them, looking beyond baffled at what they were talking about. "What is a London Blitz?"

"Well, London is where we lived before," Peter explained. "And in our world, there's a war going on. So, London was getting bombed by German soldiers called Nazis. And the same way they were bombing London is how Ariel's thinking we can bomb the Witch's army to deplete its numbers."

"It just might work," Orius replied, smiling at Ariel. "My Queen, you are indeed a brilliant military strategist. I am honored with the rest of the army to serve under yours and the Kings' command."

"Actually, it will be Peter's and Edmund's command only," Ariel countered, looking away from them all, especially Peter. "I'm not going with you into battle. Good luck." She walked away quickly, ignoring Edmund's shouting her name. Finally, she reached her tent and flopped down on her bed, burying her face in her pillow. She couldn't believe what she'd said. It had been plaguing her since Aslan had died, but she knew that she'd be no good to Peter and the others. She was a liability to them. She'd probably end up captured and needing to be rescued or something. And then, all the Narnians would know that the Prophecy had chosen a weak, ugly girl to be Queen over them. Just then, she heard someone enter the tent. And from the heavy footsteps (and lack of clunking hooves), she assumed it was Edmund.

"Go away, Edmund!" she yelled, keeping her face buried in the pillow. The footsteps didn't retreat; instead, they came closer to her bed, stopping right beside her.

"I don't feel like talking to you, alright?!" she told him, her face still hidden.

"Then I guess I'll just stay here until you **are**," the voice replied, and Ariel's face shot out of the pillow and she turned to see Peter sitting on the side of her bed. She immediately sat up, wondering if her hair was a fright to look at.

"Peter?" she asked. Peter gave her a small smile and shrugged.

"Not who you were expecting was it?" he replied.

"No. I...I mean, yes! Wait! What I meant to say is...!" Ariel stuttered before she finally came up with a coherent sentence. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to convince you to come to war with us."

"Peter, I...I can't!"

"Why Ariel? Give me one good reason!"

"I...I'm scared!"

"So are Edmund, Orius and I! Next!"

"I...I can't fight, Peter! I'm going to end up getting captured or something and ruin everything for us! Then all the Narnians will hate me and wonder why the Prophecy choose me to be queen!"

"Ariel, listen to me. You are one of the bravest girls I've ever known. And your skills with the _narigata _ are beyond incredible! You just have to have faith in yourself! Aslan believed in you, Ariel! Do you think he'd say something like that if he didn't honestly believe it?"

Ariel was silent, so Peter continued.

"The Prophecy said two Sons of Adam and three Daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia, Ariel. These people need you. Orius and Edmund, they need you." Then he mumbled something that made Ariel slide beside him, her heart racing at being so close to him.

"What did you say?" He looked up at her, a red blush tinting his cheeks as he took her hands in his and gripped them tightly.

"I said...**I **need you." And that above all sunk into her mind. Peter needed her. This amazing guy who could've told her to stay out of it was telling her that he **needed** her to go to war with him, to fight by his side, that she was important to him, to the army, to all of Narnia.

"When do we move out?" she asked. Peter's face broke out into a smile as he gripped her hands tightly for a moment and then released his iron hold on them.

"Twenty minutes," he replied, standing up from her bedside. "I'll send Ophelia to help prepare you." He exited her tent and there was silence before hoof beats could be heard and Ophelia came into the tent.

"My Queen has summoned me?" Ophelia asked in a gentle voice.

"Yes, Ophelia," Ariel told her. "I need to be dressed in battle armor. I'm going into war with Peter and the army."

"Yes, My Queen," Ophelia answered, nodding as she took out a black, leather dress with matching tights and brown, sturdy boots. A chainmail dress of silver accompanied it with a brown, leather belt to go around her waist. Ariel dressed herself in her war clothes and then strapped her dagger into a holder on her belt before slinging her_ narigata _across her back. She sat before the mirror as Ophelia simply put her hair into a low ponytail with a few strands brushing her face. A clip of a golden lion held it in place as Ariel stared at the girl in the mirror, armed to the teeth and prepared for war.

"Ariel! We're ready to..." Peter said, popping his head into the tent, but he stopped short when he saw her sitting before the mirror. He slowly walked into the tent as Ariel turned and faced him but remained seated before the mirror. Neither of them noticed Ophelia slip out of the tent. All they could see was each other.

"You look incredible," he told her, reaching for her hand.

"So do you," she replied, gazing at his gleaming, silver armor. A red vest with a golden lion emblazoned on it was across it. Metal gloves gleamed and with his sword and shield attached to his armor, he looked like a knight ready to do battle for his kingdom. But then again, he _was_ a knight. So then what was she? _I'm the warrior Queen of Narnia who's gonna kill that evil Witch and save these people!_ she thought to herself firmly. Aslan had given his life for her, Peter and the others. He'd believed in her. Now, it was time she started believing in herself.

"Ariel. Listen," Peter said, keeping a tight grip on her hand. "Before we go into battle, there's... something I need you to promise me."

"What is it?" Ariel questioned.

"If I don't survive the battle," Peter began, but Ariel immediately stood up angrily and strode right past him and stood at the entrance to her tent. She knew what was coming next. That's why she'd reacted the way she had. She didn't want to think about that, no matter how much her logic was trying to persuade her that these consequences had to be thought out. He came after her, staying close to her. "Ari, please listen."

"No!" she shouted, whirling around to face him. "How can I when I know you're going to tell me to abandon you if something happens?! To run like a coward! You said you needed me, Peter!"

"I do need you, Ariel! But...!" Peter began to say, but Ariel cut him off.

"Then don't tell me to abandon you! Because I won't!" she told him fiercely, hugging him. "I won't leave you, Peter! I swear it on my life!"

"You're too stubborn for your own good, Ari," he told her, sounding slightly upset that he hadn't won their argument. She felt herself smile.

"Oh well. Deal with it," she told him, and he looked at her in surprise. Usually, Ariel would've never said something like that to anyone.

"Where's this sudden burst of bravery come from, my warrior princess?" Peter chuckled as she scowled and then lightly hit his armored shoulder.

"Let's just say...someone believed in me with everything they had, and I owe it to them not to let you all down." Peter said nothing, but he nodded as he realized just who she was talking about.

"But before we go Ariel, promise me that if anything should happen to me, that you and Edmund will look after Susan and Lucy," Peter told her.

"I promise, Peter," Ariel answered. "They're my sisters now too, Pete. I'd be a fool not to look after them. But you **will** come back from Beruna with us...as victors. I promise you this!"

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Ariel," Peter told her, holding her hands over his heart. "This is war. And in wars, people die."

"No! You won't die! You can't!" Ariel yelled, throwing her arms around his neck. "I can't lose you, Peter Pevensie! Not now that I know that..."

"That what?" Peter asked, his arms wrapping around her waist, keeping her close to him as their faces drew closer to each other.

"That...Peter, I...I can't really explain it, but...can't you feel it?!" Ariel demanded, trying to keep her breathing steadily.

"Yes. There's something...that I feel...and I..." Peter replied, his voice soft and husky as he his face was mere inches from hers. "And I...oh Ariel!"

"Peter!" she whispered. And then, all of heaven's choirs sang as Peter's lips connected with hers, brushing them lightly. He broke away for a moment to gauge her reaction. Ariel's face broke out into a smile. Peter's expression mirrored hers as he leaned back in and kissed her again, placing a little more pressure on her lips this time. Fireworks exploded, confetti fell from the ceiling, and Ariel could feel herself floating on Cloud 9 as she returned his kiss, her arms tightening around his neck, desperate to have him closer to her. She couldn't believe it. Peter was kissing her. _Peter Pevensie_ was_ kissing_ _her_, Ariel Davis! His grip on her waist tightened as she braved her fears and buried her fingers in his hair, running them through it and admiring its softness beneath them. Her stomach swelled and her head spun, and she felt heat flooding her body as he kissed her more freely, his lips moving a little more roughly against hers. But Ariel didn't care. In fact, she responded more and more to his kiss, so much so that he gripped her face in his hands to hold her head steady while he kissed her.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that!" he breathed, breaking apart to breathe. His chest was heaving up and down, and his face was a little flushed. He rested his forehead on hers so that he could look into those beautiful, hazel eyes of hers. They were really quite exquisite, almost the same color as amber. And the way they sparkled right now made them more precious than the Crown Jewels.

"Yeah! Me too!" Ariel panted as she took in a deep breath of air. Studying his handsome face, from his soft, blond hair to his piercing, blue eyes, Ariel found herself grasping his face in her hands and kissing him like it was her last day on Earth. Peter stumbled back for the momentum, but quickly regained his balance and pulled her against him, almost crushing her against the silver armor he wore. Neither of them noticed or heard the footsteps approaching or the dark-headed boy enter the tent.

"Hey Pete! The army's ready to move, so-!" Edmund said, but then he saw Ariel in his brother's arms and then witnessed their lips breaking apart as they quickly moved away from one another. A smirk was on Edmund's face before he could issue the command for it. "I...guess you're busy!" Then, he took in Ariel's swollen lips and Peter breathing hard like he'd just run a race. The smirk widened. "**Very** busy."

"Shut it, Ed!" Peter snapped, his face red as he blushed with embarrassment. "And if you breathe one word of this to Susan or Lucy, I'll bloody well kill you!"

"If the Witch doesn't first!" Edmund retorted.

"Edmund!" Ariel growled, causing the younger Pevensie to take a step back. Even Peter glanced at her with a little more respect. "Don't say things like that around me!"

"Sorry Ariel!" Edmund apologized. Then, he smirked again and looked at Peter. "Didn't know that snogging my brother would make you so edgy!"

"Edmund!" Ariel and Peter shouted at the same time.

"Joking! Joking!" Edmund insisted, holding up his hands in surrender before his face turned serious. "But the army's seriously ready to march to Beruna. Our horses are saddled and ready to go. Do you two...uh...need a moment alone? Because I can just-"

"We're fine, Ed! We'll be out in a minute," Peter told him. Edmund looked from Ariel to Peter, a third smirk coming onto his face. Without thinking, Ariel grabbed a pillow from her bed and flung it at him with all her might. It missed, but Edmund took that near death-by-pillow as his cue to leave. Once he was gone, Peter took her hands in his and brought them up to his lips, gently planting kisses on both of them.

"Think he'll tell Lu and Susan?" Ariel inquired.

"No doubt!" Peter snorted, rolling his eyes. "He may be about to go war with me, but he gossips like a girl!"

"I heard that!" Edmund yelled from outside the tent.

"Good!" Peter shouted back, causing him and Ariel to burst out laughing. Then, his eyes became filled with fear and nervousness. "I'm afraid, Ari. So much could go wrong."

"And yet so much has gone right so far," Ariel countered, smiling. "Peter, if wars had a certain outcome set in stone, would people bother to fight them? Of course not. The Witch may think that she's going to win, but she hasn't got a clue who she's messing with. Sir Peter Wolfsbane, Knight of Narnia and Aslan's Army. And you've got your loyal brother, Sir Edmund Pevensie, the future King of Narnia, and me..."

"Ariel Davis, Warrior Princess of Narnia!" Peter chuckled before his eyes became serious. "And...the girl who has a place in my heart where very few do."

"Peter, I...!" Ariel began to say, but just then, Orius poked his head into the tent.

"Your Majesties. We must go now," Orius told them, sounding grave. Peter nodded and then took Ariel's hand in his and led her outside to where the horses were waiting. Ariel could hear the whispers that flew through the crowd as the Narnians saw her and Peter with her hands entwined. Letting go of Ariel's hand, Peter mounted a white unicorn while Orius held a black stallion steady. Edmund was on his brown horse, Phillip. Behind them, loyal Narnians stood in ranks, armed to the teeth and ready to do battle. A young faun handed Peter his helmet, and the young general placed it on his head but left the visor up.

"We await your word, Sire," Orius told him.

"Actually, Ariel will speak to the troops, Orius," Peter replied, shocking both Ariel and the centaur. Nevertheless, he nodded and everyone in the crowd respectfully bowed to her as she turned her black stallion to face them.

"I'm good at memorizing war speeches, but not at giving them," Ariel told them, earning slight chuckles from the soldiers, Peter, Orius and Edmund. "All I can say is...thank you for standing with us. We're facing a great evil today. It'll be dangerous. Some of you...may not come back. Nevertheless, this is something we must do to protect Narnia from the Witch's tyranny. And...oh to bloody Hell with this speech thing!" All eyes looked up as Peter turned and stared at her in amazement as a brave smile came on her face, the unfamiliar light of battle illuminating her eyes and her face aglow with the anticipation of a battle ahead. She turned to Peter, whose face was a mixture of confusion, shock and amazement.

"Let's go to war!" A resounding cheer erupted from the Narnians as Ariel turned her horse away and, together with Peter and Edmund, led their troops forward towards Beruna and the impending, final battle between good and evil.

**Wait for it. WAIT for it! Now. OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! THEY FINALLY KISSED! *shoots off fireworks and confetti and angel choir sings "Hallelujah" chorus!* I know. I wanted it to be when they were at Cair Paravel, but then I was writing this chapter and thought, "Hell! This is the _perfect_ place for their first kiss to happn!" And, IT DID! ;) So, I expect to see many reviews before we go to chapter eleven and the Battle of Beruna. Let's make it around 105 reviews, and then I'll post it! Until then, review, review, review!**

**Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	11. Chapter 11

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**I'M ALIVE EVERYBODY! I am SO SORRY for leaving this story for so long, but I was out of the country and didn't have my laptop plus school is getting EXTREMELY hectic! Thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, EWOC, GoldenSpiderMonkey101, MCH, Forest-Animal, Guest (M.R.), OhBeClever, IAmTheDragonEmpress, nejitenteji10sasu10, hockeychick19, HighQueenP, my other Guest, Narnia and Harry Potter 4 EVER and Daisy54154! You guys rule! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and please continue to review this story as it progresses! Also, to all of those who have added this story to their favorites and/or are following it, a thousand and one thank-yous from this lowly author! Now, here is the chapter you've all been waiting for (no, not Peter and Ariel's wedding, thought that _might_ be in the sequel :p): the Battle of Beruna! Enjoy it, guys! ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Eleven- The Battle of Beruna: The Good, The Bad and the Fatal

Beruna was a large, spacious field with low, rolling hills and a cliff that overlooked the vast, green plains. It was on this very cliff that Ariel Davis, formerly of London, stood next to Edmund Pevensie, formerly of Finchley, armed with an ancient, Japanese weapon and a curved dagger, geared for war. If someone had told her that this would one day be her destiny, to stand atop a cliff in a mystical land called Narnia, about to go to war with an evil Witch who'd murdered a talking lion named Aslan; that she was one of five humans prophesized to slay said Witch and rule the land as Queen, she would've either ran away screaming bloody murder or had them committed to a lunatic asylum.

But now, here she was. With Edmund, Peter, Orius and the loyal Narnian army at Beruna, ready to go to war against the White Witch. Below, Peter sat on his white unicorn, his visor up and Orius by his side. Every Narnian soldier was geared to the teeth for the impending battle, and behind her and Edmund, archers stood ready along with other troops. Mr. Beaver was also up there with them, much to the immense worry of Mrs. Beaver, who was back at the camp, no doubt anxiously awaiting news of her husband and the Kings and Queens of Narnia.

"Are you nervous, Ari?" Edmund inquired. She turned to Edmund, who was also dressed in brown leather and ready for war. He carried a sword sheathed at his side along with a shield on his back.

"A little bit," she answered as her gaze locked with his. Then, she turned back and looked down at the figure in silver armor at the head of their army. "It's more for Peter than me." She looked back at him. "What about you, Ed? Nervous?"

"Yes. And just the same as you are," he replied, and Ariel knew that any doubt about Edmund's change of heart were erased with those words. Just then, she spotted a dot on the horizon. As it grew larger, she could make out huge, long wings and a sharp beak as well as three talons on each foot.

"That must be the gryphon," Mr. Beaver observed as the creature slowly began its descent.

"Let's hope it's bringing good news," Ariel sighed, as her eyes once again turned back to Peter.

* * *

Peter too had seen the gryphon coming, but his thoughts had wandered to the girl that was standing beside Edmund at the top of the hill. He thought about the kiss they'd shared, how amazing and passionate it had been. He smiled when he thought that he'd been worried about her fainting or something when he kissed her, but Ariel was beginning to shed her timid, shy self and become the brave, bold, young woman he had glimpsed so many times but never fully seen. He thought about his feelings for her, and he knew that they weren't enemies, they were past acquaintances, they were beyond good friends, and this was much more than a schoolboy crush. Which left only one other possibility.

He was in love with her.

Peter mentally cursed himself for not telling her how he felt about her. But it was too late to worry about that now. Especially as the gryphon was coming lower and lower towards him. He would have to confess his feelings for her later. _If there even **is** a "later"_, he thought grimly to himself as the gryphon hovered next to Peter.

"They come Your Highness! With numbers and weapons far greater than our own!" the gryphon panted.

"Numbers do not win a battle!" Orius growled firmly, clenching his fist tightly.

"No. But I bet they help," Peter told him, sounding worried.

Just then, the sound of a horn echoed through the plains. Peter, Ariel, Edmund, Orius and the Narnians all looked and saw the White Witch, dressed in battle armor, appear on the top of a small hill on the opposing side of the field. Her chariot was drawn by two, white polar bears. Then, her army appeared, men and weapons like the sands of the desert. Ariel felt her logical rationale kicking in, screaming at her to tell Peter to retreat, surrender or do something other than to charge into battle against such a multitude. The probability of a victory for the Narnians was almost a statistical impossibility while the probability of a mass slaughter was almost definite. But she silenced her logic. Now wasn't the time to allow it to cloud her thoughts and their mission.

The Witch's army stood ready, and Ariel could make out a huge, black minotaur armed with a giant axe standing in the midst of the forces look back at the Witch. With an evil smile on her face, the Witch nodded and the minotaur gave a great roar. The Witch's army charged forward. Peter sat on the unicorn, watching them rush over the hills and small valleys towards them. Ariel bit down on her bottom lip in anticipation. Finally, Peter drew his sword and raised it into the air. A flock of gryphons emerged into the skies, carrying large boulders in their feet. When they were over the Witch's army, they began to drop them like bombs. This was what Ariel remembered the Blitz to be like. Arrows flew into the sky, striking a few of the gryphons as the Witch's archers tried to decimate the bombers. But the last of the gryphons dropped their boulders and then soared off into the skies, out of range from the Witch's archers.

Peter lowered his sword to his side. They were coming on full force now. There was no other choice. They had to do it now or they'd be defeated in a matter of minutes. The future High King of Narnia turned to his general, Orius.

"Are you with me?" Peter asked him.

"To the death," he answered, nodding.

Peter turned and looked back at the cliff, staring first at Edmund, who nodded confidently at his brother. Then, his blue eyes looked with Ariel's hazel ones. _Just like in my dream,_ she thought to herself. Her mind argued that this was highly unlikely, but she silenced it for the third time before smiling at him. Then, her lips puckered and she blew him a kiss, just like in her dream. He smiled so warmly that Ariel felt the coldness of the worry and impending battle thaw like ice in spring sunshine. Then, he put a metal-gloved hand to his mouth and blew her a kiss back. She caught it and pressed her hands to her chest. He smiled and winked at her before their eyes broke contact, and the warmth evaporated like morning mist touched by the Sun's golden rays.

Peter's eyes were no longer fixed on the girl who owned half his heart. They were now locked on to the advancing minotaurs, werewolves, dwarfs and creatures that served the White Witch and were coming to destroy him, his family, this land, and the girl he loved. And it was when he thought of all the things he had to protect that Peter found the courage to grit his teeth and push away all the doubts and fears that'd plagued him.

"FOR NARNIA! AND FOR ASLAN!" Peter yelled, raising his sword high into the air. The army gave an unanimous roar before Peter led the charge. Ariel felt as though everything was slowing down so much that she could her heart beating with every move that came: Peter lowering his visor, Orius drawing his swords, and the army getting closer and closer to the Witch's forces.

Then, the sound of clashing metals broke the tension as swords swung high, spears were launched and bodies fell like stones throughout the chaotic battlefield. Ariel's heart was in her throat as she scanned the huge, chaotic mass for Peter. She was relieved to find him slicing left and right through the Witch's troops with his sword. He looked incredible and so heroic like one of King Arthur's knights from _Camelot_. But there were still too many of the Witch's forces, and Ariel knew if they didn't act now, soon Peter and the others would be overwhelmed.

"Time to turn up the heat on those bastards!" Ariel growled as she watched the minotaur slice down one of their fauns. Edmund nodded and turned to the archers, who had their other weapon.

"Fire!" Edmund commanded. One of the female archers stepped forward and fired an arrow. But it was no ordinary arrow. As it sailed through the sky it burst into flames and became a phoenix. With a loud call, the phoenix immediately swooped down into the midst of the battle, sending a tail of its flames throughout the masses, burning through the Witch's forces and driving them back.

"Yes!" Mr. Beaver shouted, punching the air with a fist. Edmund looked relieved, and Ariel took a step forward to gaze at Peter, who was lifting his visor. She was praying that he would look back at her, smile, and silently tell her with his eyes that victory was almost at hand. But what happened next made her realize that the war was far from over.

The Witch, with a single blast of her wand, made the flames disappear and rode straight through them, looking like Attila the Hun or even Genghis Khan with her ice wand raised. Ariel mentally cursed herself for not remembering the potential clash of elements that could've happened. Now, the Witch's forces were rallying behind their leader and advancing once more on Peter and the army. Ariel knew if they didn't pull back now, they wouldn't stand a chance.

"Fall back! Draw them to the rocks!" Peter shouted, slamming down his visor once again as a horn sounded, and Aslan's army began retreating to the rocks close to the cliff where Ariel and the others were.

"That's the signal! Come on!" Mr. Beaver yelled as he and Edmund scampered down the hill with Ariel and the other soldiers close on his heels. She had just reached the bottom of the cliff when her whole world screeched to a stop. An arrow was fired, striking Peter's unicorn in the side. The stricken beast then threw Peter off of it as it fell to the ground. Peter gave a cry of pain as both beast and rider landed hard in the dust. Ariel couldn't hear anything but the blood pounding in her ears and her heart beating like a Native drum. But she must've screamed something because Orius turned and saw the fallen King struggling to get up with the Witch advancing on him. He looked at a rhino, who nodded and the two of them charged at the Witch.

"Orius!" Ariel screamed.

"Stop!" Peter yelled, but they rushed by him in a whirlwind. An arrow struck the rhino as he battered his way towards the Witch, but Orius leapt over the fallen beast and charged at the Witch. With his warrior's strength, he swung his sword at the Witch, but she managed to dodge the blow, and as she did, stabbed him with her wand. Time seemed to have slowed as Ariel and Peter watched as the Witch pushed the stone statue of Orius down and away from her. Peter then turned to Ariel, his look of horror and shock mirroring her own. Then, his eyes went wide.

"Watch out!" he shouted, and Ariel turned and managed to duck as a minotaur came charging towards her, swinging a large sword. She drew out her _narigata _and twirled it in a lethal fashion. It came back for another sword stroke, but Ariel blocked it with the staff of her _narigata_ before she countered with a lightning-fast strike with one of the blades that slashed across its face. The minotaur howled and fell to the ground as Ariel whipped around and slashed a dwarf's feet right out from under him as Edmund cut down a wolf.

"Ed! There are too many of them!" Peter yelled to his younger brother. "Go! Get out of here! Take Ariel, get the girls, and get them home!" He was battling the Witch's general, the large, black minotaur that'd almost sliced him back at Aslan's camp the day the Witch had come to claim Edmund's blood. Ariel couldn't leave him behind. Not after the kiss they'd shared, after everything she'd endured with him and his family.

"Come on, you two!" Mr. Beaver yelled, tugging Edmund and Ariel away from the battlefield. "You heard him!"

Grasping their sleeves, Mr. Beaver began half-dragging them away from the battlefield. Ariel looked back on the fighting troops, feeling angry at the thought of abandoning them and Peter. Peter. Her eyes quickly searched for him, and when she found him, she was glad she had looked when she did.

"Edmund! Look!" Ariel shouted. Edmund whipped around and stared in horror as the Witch was slowly advancing on Peter, who was still battling the minotaur. And with the evil smile she was wearing on her face, Ariel knew what the Witch was going to do to the boy she loved.

Anger bubbled in her veins. She was going after her Peter, the boy who mattered to her almost as much as her own life! Ariel's teeth gritted, and her vision became as red as the blood that was flowing on the battlefield on which she stood. That ice bitch had just made the biggest mistake of her life!

"Peter said let's go!" Mr. Beaver shouted, tugging the two, stalled teens.

"Peter's not King yet!" Edmund countered, yanking his hand free of Mr. Beaver's and drawing his sword. Ariel too tore away from the male beaver despite his shouting protests and her screaming logic. Peter needed her and Edmund, whether he liked it or not. She whipped out her _narigata_ and gripped the staff tightly as she ran towards the Witch, Peter and the minotaur.

As the Witch raised her wand, Edmund leapt off of a rock and tried to slash at the Witch, but he missed. She jabbed at him with her wand, but he dodged it and brought his sword down onto it, breaking it in two. The Witch's power gone, Ariel watched in horror as the Witch slashed at Edmund with her sword, disarming him. Without thinking, she launched her _narigata_ like a spear. It missed the Witch's hand, but knocked the shard of the wand out of her hand and away from Edmund. Then, she stretched out her hand and summoned the weapon back to her. It hovered in the air for a moment and then flew back to her, the staff landing perfectly in her hand. The Witch's eyes searched frantically for the warrior who had dared to throw their weapon at her, and Ariel summoned up all of her courage for the impending battle that was coming between her and the Witch.

"Over here witch bitch!" Ariel shouted as she slid into a fighting stance, one of the blades pointed directly at the woman in question.

"Insolent child!" she snarled as she snatched up a sword from a fallen soldier and advanced towards her. "You will pay for that remark with your life!"

"Ariel! RUN!" Peter screamed at her as he blocked another sword stroke from the minotaur.

"No Peter!" Ariel yelled back as the Witch came closer and closer to her. "Let **me **deal with her."

"You're not short of nerve, brat! I'll give you that!" the Witch told her before she lunged at her. But Ariel was ready. Blocking and ducking, she slashed out at the Witch with her blades. The Witch was a seasoned warrior, and Ariel had to backflip away from her numerous times, but she was still alive and had managed to cut the Witch's arm. Surprisingly, there was no blood that ran from her veins. _No wonder she's an ice queen_! Ariel thought to herself as the Witch came at her again. This time, the Witch tripped Ariel's feet out from under her, and the young woman fell hard onto the ground, her _narigata_ flying out of her hand and landing on the ground, meters from her. She stretched out her hand to summon it back to her, but the Witch took her sword and stabbed it into Ariel's sleeve, cutting into her arm. She gave a shout of pain as the Witch knelt on her, a knee on her chest and a sharp, lethal dagger at her throat.

"Ariel!" Peter shouted. His anger ignited at the sound of her cry. He took down the Minotaur with a fierce stab to the heart. A dwarf leapt into his path, and Peter battled hard and fiercely with it, desperate to reach Ariel before it was too late. "Hold on Ariel! I'm coming!"

"Isn't that sweet?" the Witch mocked as Ariel struggled to free her arm. "The little King is coming to save his sweetheart! Shame I have to kill the both of you and destroy your precious, young love!"

"Don't you _dare_ touch him, Witch!" Ariel snarled. The Witch removed the sword from the sleeve of Ariel's leather dress and threw it aside. The dagger was now over her heart, the blade resting close enough to make this a quick job for its owner.

"Beg for your miserable life little girl, and I may spare your precious, little King!" the Witch growled. Ariel looked the Witch straight in her ice-blue eyes and summoned up whatever courage was left. Then, she drew her lips in and spat right in the Witch's face.

"Go to Hell, bitch!" she snapped. The Witch's anger was beyond containment as she wiped away Ariel's defiance from her face.

"Very well. But if I'm going to Hell, then I'm taking you with me, brat!" she hissed venomously as she raised the dagger high.

"Ari! No!" Edmund yelled as he kicked out at the Witch. She rolled off of Ariel with a shout, the dagger flying through the air far from Ariel. Edmund was standing over her, his brown eyes filled with concern and angst.

"Are you OK?" he asked her. She opened her lips to reply, but a flash of movement in the corner of her eye caused them to snap shut as she saw the Witch's hand close around the other half of her broken wand.

"Edmund! Move!" Ariel shouted, pushing Edmund out of the way. The ice shard the Witch had picked up sunk into his shoulder, and Edmund staggered backwards before fell to the ground with a cry of pain.

"Edmund!" Ariel shouted, and she struggled to her feet and began to run towards him. But something seized her shoulder and whirled her around. A sharp pain pierced her stomach as she stared into cold, ice-blue eyes. Then, she saw an evil smile on the face of the White Witch as she drew the shard of the ice wand out of Ariel's stomach. Her hands clasped around the wound, and she could feel the warm wetness of her own blood pouring out onto her hands. She began to feel a coldness washing over her as she sank to her knees in the grass before the Witch. Her ears were ringing, but she did hear one last thing before the darkness swallowed her up like a moonless, Arabian night: a voice screaming her name, her name being spoken with fear, anger and grief from the same lips she had once kissed. Then Peter's voice faded away, and the darkness enveloped her completely, and the body of Ariel Davis, niece of Digory Kirke, warrior princess of Narnia, and the love of Peter Pevensie's life, fell to the dust of the Earth with a mighty _THUD!_

**OMG, NOOOO! Ariel! Peter's about to go ballistic, guys! Warning: the next chapter will be from Peter's POV in the beginning as he battles the Witch to avenge Ariel! So, with this in mind, what happened to Edmund? Is Peter going to experience the tragedy of losing his first love? Will Ariel survive and live to become Queen?You'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out! In the meantime, reviews are greatly appreciated, and I would like to reach 120 reviews before chapter 12 is posted! So, review, review, review!**

**Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


	12. Chapter 12

What It Takes to Be a Queen

Summary: What if there was to be a third Daughter of Eve in the prophecy who was to become queen? Ariel Davis is the niece of Professor Kirke and lives next door to him with her mother while her father serves in the war. When the Pevensie children arrive at her uncle's house, this quiet, young woman is dragged with them into Narnia for the adventure of a lifetime filled with tests of friendship, fierce battles and even romance. Peter x OC

**Hi everybody! So, because everyone has been BEGGING me to update soon (and because I finally finished one of the four essays I have left to do for school), I'm updating today with chapter 12! YAY! Thanks to my fabulous reviewers: grapejuice101, ariah23, GoldenSpiderMonkey101, Forest-Animal, Guest (M.R.), dream lighting, IAmTheDragonEmpress, Rayofhope, narniaprincess, HighQueenP, H, my other Guest, my 3rd Guest, Narnia and Harry Potter 4 EVER and Daisy54154! So, this is a nice, LONG chapter, so enjoy it guys! ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters! I wish I did, but the brilliant C.S. Lewis has that right! All O/C are my property though!**

Chapter Twelve- Aslan's Return, Cair Paravel and Three, Powerful Words

_Peter's POV_

My eyes had to be lying to me. They just **had** to. Otherwise...no. It couldn't be true. But yet, there I was, standing in the midst of a bloody battlefield watching the body of Ariel Davis, the love of my life, sinking to the ground.

"Ariel!" I screamed, slamming my sword into the chest of an oncoming dwarf. My voice was filled with mixed-up emotions: fear at losing her forever, anger at both the Witch for stabbing her and me for not protecting her like I was supposed to, and grief at the fact that this latest mistake by me would cost me the girl I loved.

Her body thudded to the ground, its finite hit echoing in a shockwave that rippled through the air of the battle. I stumbled back, heart pounding, eyes wide, the crimson-drenched sword that Father Christmas had given to me hanging limply by my side. Hot tears sprang to my eyes as Edmund slowly staggered to his feet, clutching his wounded shoulder. His eyes too found Ariel's limp body, and the horror and grief on his face was a watery reflection of my own expression.

She couldn't be...no. I couldn't speak the word, couldn't even **think** it. Just this morning, she'd been with Ed and I, making battle plans and encouraging the troops of Narnia to be courageous in the face of adversity and to thank them for their unswerving loyalty to us. We'd never have survived this long in the war without her brilliant bombing strategy, without her firm yet kind words of encouragement. I'd just been with her not too long ago in her tent, reassuring her that the Prophecy that'd caused all this was right, that she would be a great warrior and a great queen. A lump came into my throat as my mind raced back to the strongest memory I had of her; stronger than the one of the day we met, or of the snowball fight we'd had, or even the day she'd gotten that wound from her bravery against Maugrim and his comrade.

I'd just been with her not too long ago and had finally kissed the girl of my dreams.

All the feelings and emotions came rushing back to me, slamming into me like a strong gale at sea battering a weary ship. The warmth of her lips, the softness of them as they'd pressed against mine, the gentle touch of her hands in my hair, the feel of rightness that filled me as I'd held her against me. I'd looked into those hazel eyes, those beautiful, bright, hazel eyes and seen nothing but pure, utter joy and deep, undeniable love. I'd seen it when we were about to go to war, when she stood on that cliff. I hadn't even noticed Edmund, barely even glanced at him.

All I could see was my warrior princess.

And all she could see was me. Her smile had comforted me, her blown kiss had warmed my heart, and her capturing of mine and bringing it close to her heart had reassured me that even though I was among strangers who professed to love me as their soon-to-be High King, her love was one of the only two that would remain constant, even in the face of adversity.

Now, she was gone; taken from me in an instant.

Her red hair was fanned out in a halo, her arms and legs askew as the White Witch stood over her, her cold eyes gleaming with triumph as she held the ice shard in her hand like a scepter.

The shard stained with my beloved Ariel's blood.

My own blood boiled. My vision turned red. All I could see was my sword slicing through the Witch's body, cutting her down to the ground, her blood mingling with the blood of those who'd faithfully served her tyranny, who'd oppressed the Narnians for decades, even centuries, who'd stolen from me the most precious treasure I'd ever found. Every rational thought left my mind until one remained.

Kill the Witch.

I slammed my sword through the heart of the Witch's fallen minotaur general before drawing it out again and rushing at the Witch, teeth gritted, eyes burning with the desire for vengeance. She herself drew two swords from a fallen warrior and strode quickly and confidently towards me, swords held in parallel positions by her sides. Every step that drew us closer was a step closer to ending Narnia's suffering, to avenging the death of Aslan, to avenge the murder of my beloved Ariel.

At last, no more steps could be taken forward, no more obstacles could impede our meeting, and our swords finally met.

"You killed Ariel, Witch!" I growled as our swords clashed together in a deadly melee of thrusts and parries, naked steel meeting naked steel. "Now, it's your turn to die!"

"Brave words, little King!" the Witch chuckled as her ice-blue eyes locked with my stormy-blue ones. "But your words are no match for my swords!" Her attacks were quick, swift and strong. I found myself stumbling back and whipping back around to face her. She was standing there, her swords glinting in the bright sunlight, looking lethal and deathly.

"Peter!" Edmund shouted, hurrying towards us and drawing his own sword.

"Stay back Ed!" I ordered fiercely, halting my younger brother right in his tracks. "She's mine!" Edmund backed off and then found himself battling against a large werewolf who'd come to try and assist his Mistress. I whipped back around and looked at the Witch again, my sword raised, the blade pointing towards her.

She was waiting for me to attack.

I didn't disappoint her.

With a roar from me, the battle recommenced. "Your reign of terror is over, Witch!" I snarled at her as our swords twirled and slashed at each other. "These people have suffered enough under your wickedness! You'll never rule Narnia again!"

"And **you'll** never **live** to rule Narnia even once, little King!" she laughed evilly as the battle began to become more and more heated. Sweat covered my brow and face, dripping into my stinging eyes. But I didn't move to wipe it away. Instead, I let the stinging drive my anger, my determination. "Just like the little queen lying on yonder plain of grass!"

"Shut up!" I snapped angrily, coming back in for another attack. How dare she boast about murdering Ariel!

"What will your little family do once the little king's gone the same way as his pathetic love?" the Witch jeered. My anger was blinding and hot as I clashed swords with the Witch again and again, always coming close to striking her but never feeling the satisfaction of my blade slicing into her skin and making her blood run like she had done to countless others, my beloved warrior princess among them. I felt my body growing tired, my limbs beginning to ache with the strain of combat. I knew that if a miracle didn't happen so, the Witch would overpower me and all hope for a brighter future for Narnia would be lost.

My prayer was answered.

A lion's mighty roar echoed throughout the battlefield. Both the Witch and I turned to see Aslan standing at the top of the hill which overlooked the battlefield. Aslan! He was alive!

"Impossible!" the Witch breathed, her eyes wide with shock, horror and disbelief.

Standing beside him were Susan, Lucy, a faun (which must've been Lucy's friend Mr. Tumnus) and a whole host of Narnian creatures that outnumbered the sands of the desert. I smiled, not only at seeing my sisters safe, but at the thought that now with Aslan back, we just might stand a chance.

I was caught off-guard by the re-appearance of Aslan and didn't notice the Witch's eyes burning with resentment. I barely managed to block her attack as, with a mighty shout, Aslan, Lucy, Susan and the reinforcements came charging down the hill, unsheathing their weapons and clashing with the remainder of the Witch's forces. The Witch now fought like a desperate woman against me, and in a few quick moves, she had thrown my shield out of my hands and my sword was flying through the air with me flying hard back first into the ground.

"Beg for your life, and I may spare your family!" the Witch demanded. My family was all I had left now that Ariel...Ariel. I could hear her, Edmund and my sisters' voices in my mind, demanding that I not give in to the Witch's demands, that I defy her even with my very last breath. Summoning up all the courage I had, I looked her dead in the eyes.

"Go to Hell!" I spat out. Then, the sword came down, slicing through the chainmail shoulder pad and cutting into my arm. I gave a cry of pain as it sank into the ground, pinning me to it.

"Very well then! Farewell, "Your Majesty"!" the White Witch hissed as she drew back her sword to strike. But just then, with a roar, Aslan came and pounced on the Witch, knocking her backwards, the sword flying out of her hand and soaring through the air. She and Aslan landed further away from, but when I saw the Great Lion's jaws descend, I knew that the Witch's fate was sealed.

"Aslan," I whispered, still wondering how this could be possible at all, how the Great Lion who was dead was now standing over the body of the White Witch, powerful and regal as he had been before his sacrifice. He turned to me, his warm eyes serious and yet gleaming with the light of a triumphant victor.

"It is done," the Great Lion said to me. I looked at the Witch's body, lying still and unmoving. She was gone. Forever. Aslan had avenged his torture and death. The Narnians had been avenged of centuries of tyranny and injustice. Ariel had been avenged for her murder.

"Peter!" someone shouted. I whirled around and saw both Lucy and Susan rushing towards me. I met them halfway, embracing them tightly. Even though Ariel's death had been at the forefront of my mind, my family was still important to me. Nothing matter more to me than them and Ariel. I'd been worried about Susan and Lu, out there all alone with the supposedly-dead Aslan. I knew how many times they asserted themselves as "independent women", but that didn't mean that I wasn't going to take my duties as an older brother seriously.

"Thank God you're both safe!" I whispered into Lucy's hair. "I was so worried!"

"You worry too much, Peter," Lucy told me, smiling that innocent, eight year old smile that warmed my frozen heart. Maybe I **did** worry too much, but who else was going to be the practical one to prepare for future possibilities? Edmund?

"Pete!" I heard someone else shout and looked up to see Edmund staggering over to us. He'd managed to make a sling out a scarf, elevating his wounded arm. I smiled. Speak of the devil (maybe not "devil" per se, but I think you get the picture). Lucy rushed towards him and threw herself onto him. He stumbled back, his face contorting with pain, but he hugged her. Susan and I followed her over to him and gingerly patted him on his uninjured shoulder.

"Wait! Where's Ariel?!" Susan demanded. Edmund and I exchanged horrified looks. My heart immediately stopped beating. Ariel. Rushing ahead up the hill, I searched through the bodies of the wounded and the fallen, desperate to find her before...Then I saw her. But I wasn't the only one who had. A wounded dwarf with a deadly battle axe was staggering towards her. It weakly drew the axe back above its head, poised to strike and ensure Ariel's death. I drew my sword and failed to hear the others come up behind me.

"Ari!" Lucy screamed in terror. I was about to rush forward when Susan let an arrow fly from her bow, striking the dwarf straight in the heart. It tumbled to the ground, the battle axe clattering to the ground beside it. It was a direct hit; she'd shot to kill. Sheathing my sword again, I rushed to Ariel, throwing myself down in the dust beside her. I seized her wrist and placed my thumb on the inside of it. My heart skipped two beats. A pulse. Faint. Weak. Fading. But still there.

She was still alive.

"Lucy, quick! Your cordial!" I shouted. She hurried over, nervous fingers desperately trying to unstop the cork which blocked the life-saving fireflower juice. Finally, the cork was removed, and Lucy pushed past me and knelt down beside Ariel. Steadying her hand as best as she could, she poured a single drop into Ariel's open mouth.

"Did it...did it work?" Susan inquired, her eyes begging me to tell her that it did, to spare her from the grief of having to accept the alternative, that it hadn't, and that Ariel was...

I wanted to lie, not just to reassure Susan, but to reassure myself. I didn't want to believe what I'd seen, didn't want to accept a life without this beautiful, brave, redheaded girl in it.

But in the end, I couldn't lie. To Susan. To Lucy. Not even to myself.

"I don't think it did," I answered somberly. The tension in the air broke and grief and sadness settled in a the weight of both my words and the reality they now created sank in. Edmund's face became sullen and dark while Susan bowed her head to hide her grief and tears. Lucy completely broke down.

"I'm sorry Peter!" Lucy sobbed, almost spilling some of the fireflower juice onto the ground as her tears flowed down her cheeks and her body began to shake. "I tried my best, but I...I...I...!"

"It's not your fault, Lu," I told her, wrapping my arms around her and letting my own tears soak into her brown hair. "You did your best, but sometimes...that's just not enough!" She sobbed and sobbed against my armored chest, her tears searing through the metal and warming the frozen heart that lay dormant beneath it. She was gone, and I'd never be able to hold her in my arms, hear her laughter ring through the air like the peal of toiling bells at our church back home, or tell her that I, Peter Pevensie, was hopelessly and completely in love with her.

My heart cried out for a miracle; my soul prayed to heaven for a miracle; my mind pummeled me back into reality. But a heavy air of grief and silence was all my earnest cries received. I looked back down into Ariel's still face, desperate to memorize it before we laid her to rest, frantically trying to remember every feature in the face of my angel before it became nothing more than a ghost that haunted me, a memory that would slowly fade away with time no matter how often I swore to myself that it would never happen.

Then, I heard her cough.

* * *

_Back to regular POV..._

The darkness was lifting slowly, like the veil of a bride being lifted away from her face by her groom. And with the coming light came a stiffness of limbs and a dull, throbbing pain in her abdomen. The brightness of the light stung Ariel's eyes, and the fiery taste of a sweet yet spicy juice in her throat made her cough fitfully. Slowly, she sat up, not wanting to irritate the pain in her abdomen. Then she saw all four Pevensie children sitting around her in a circle, wearing shocked expressions on their faces that melted into warm, loving smiles.

"What's going on? Am I dead?" Ariel asked aloud. She gazed around at the smiling faces around her and stopped on the face of a blue-eyed blond who was wearing the biggest smile Ariel had ever seen on a human face. She smiled back. "Because this sure looks a lot like heaven." Peter gave a laugh that sounded partially like a sob before launching himself onto her, hugging her tightly. A blissful smile came onto her face as her eyes slowly sank closed and she returned the warm, loving hug.

"Hmm. That was a nice hug," Ariel said after she'd pulled back to look into Peter's eyes. Her arms were still around his neck, his were still wrapped around her waist, and Ariel felt safer than she'd ever felt in her entire life. "So, do I have to do whatever I did on the battlefield all the time to get one?"

Peter chuckled. "I hope not. But on that note, when are you and Edmund going to learn to do as you're told?" Peter scolded lightly, tears of happiness running down his cheeks as he cupped her face in his hands. Her smile widened as she slid her hands over his and looked directly into his eyes, memorizing every single fleck of color in them.

"When you or our family aren't in danger, Peter Pevensie," Ariel replied, smiling cheekily. "Otherwise, all bets are off."

"I can't win against you, can I?" Peter groaned playfully.

"Nope. So don't even bother trying," Ariel chuckled. Peter smiled before he leaned in and kissed her gently, lovingly, on her lips. Ariel's grip tightened around Peter's neck as she returned it with all the strength and love she could muster from her weakened body. Just then, a pointed cough caused the two to break apart.

"Oh don't mind us!" Susan said pointedly, but Ariel could hear the teasing note in her voice. "Pretend we're not even here!"

"Oh stop it, Su!"Ariel replied before throwing herself onto Susan, who let out a laugh as she hugged her friend.

"So what was that about Peter "never being interested in a girl like me"?" Susan reminded her, smirking.

"Shut up!" Ariel groaned playfully, shoving Susan before she was tackled by Lucy in a hug. Soon, the other three Pevensies joined in and surrounded her as they all hugged one another, grateful not only to have come out of this war alive and victorious, but also to have come out of it together as a family. And the warmth and love radiating from the four Pevensie children was enough to reassure Ariel that she was now the fifth member of this dynamic, closely-knit quartet of brothers and sisters. Just then, everyone sensed a familiar presence close to them and looked up.

"Aslan?!" Ariel gasped, her jaw hanging open in pleasant shock. The lion simply smiled, his eyes twinkling with an _I-told-you-so_ look when Peter gently wrapped an arm around Ariel's shoulders. She smiled and leaned back against him, forgetting her custom of rolling her eyes at people who bore that look. It was the logical thing to do. After all, lions weren't exactly tame. Just then, Aslan breathed onto the stone statue of a faun, who staggered weakly to the ground after returning to his flesh state. Ariel's logic screamed in protest at what had just happened, but once again, Ariel silenced it. There was no explanation for Aslan or Narnia. And trying to find one would be foolish and a waste of her time. Sometimes, believing was the only logical thing one could do. Lucy looked from the injured soldier to her bottle of fireflower cordial.

"Looks like I have some work to do," Lucy told Ariel and her siblings as she rose to her feet and hurried amongst the wounded soldiers, clasping the bottle of fireflower juice tightly in her hands. Ariel smiled from under the warmth and security of Peter's arm.

"I think she'd make a very good doctor," she whispered to him. He glanced down at her and reached for her hand, planting a gentle kiss on it.

"You know something?" he chuckled lightly. "I've always thought that myself."

* * *

Cair Paravel was grander than Ariel's imagination had even conceived. Larger and far grander than Buckingham Palace, the castle was built upon a hill with dozens of strong, white-stoned turrets and towers. Grand entrances were carved from the stone and stood with pillars and overhanging arches. The wall which faced the sea had five, large flags hanging down over it, a red lion on its hind legs in the center of each.

"It's magnificent!" Ariel breathed as she gazed up at the structure towering over them.

"I think the inside will astound you even more than the outside, Ariel," Aslan chuckled as they passed through the castle gates. Dismounting from their horses, Ariel, Aslan and the Pevensies were ushered inside. Ariel's jaw dropped to the floor when she the huge entrance way they were standing in. The floors were marble and shone like newly-minted coins. Chandeliers and candle holders gleamed in the light of the sun. Every room they passed by was enormous and decked with great, intricately-woven tapestries, the finest silk curtains, gold, silver and items studded with jewels.

Leading them up a grand, marble staircase, the upper halls and rooms were just as beautiful and fancy as the lower ones. They even had a library that was four times the size of Uncle Digory's! Ariel felt as though her heart was going to burst out of her chest any moment.

"Your chambers, Ariel," Aslan told her as they reached the first door on the right. She turned the bronze handle and entered into a large, spacious room with a huge, king-sized bed with canopy curtains in gold hanging over the bed. Two, double doors led to a spacious balcony that overlooked a garden bedecked with roses, lilies, daisies, chrysanthemums, and all sorts of exotic plant life. A huge vanity with a large mirror sat before her on the right as well. Just then, a female faun with dark-blond hair stepped into view.

"Your Majesty, my name is Lydia," the faun said, bowing to her. "Would you like me to help you get dressed for the coronation?"

Ariel looked and saw a beautiful, emerald-green gown lying on the bed with a shimmering, golden cloak to go with it. A pair of gold-colored, high heels lay on the floor underneath them. There was even a beautiful set of diamond earrings and a pendant to match.

"Yes Lydia. Thank you very much," Ariel replied, smiling. In almost no time, Ariel was dressed and Lydia had styled her hair in a half-ponytail.

"You look lovely, Your Majesty," Lydia told her. Ariel smiled in thanks and then looked in the mirror to see Aslan standing behind them. He nodded and then Ariel hurried out after him into the hallway. The Pevensies were standing there, all of them elegantly dressed with cloaks about their shoulders.

"You look amazing, Ari!" Lucy said, hugging her. "Like a real queen!"

"Thanks, Lu," Ariel answered as she hugged her back. "You look very nice too! Just like a queen!" Then, she looked at Susan, who was looking lovelier than ever. "Boy Susan! By tomorrow, you're going to have boys fighting for your hand!"

"God help them," Edmund told them, smirking.

"Edmund!" the others groaned.

"Sorry," he said, smirking. "Old habits die hard." They shook their heads and followed after Aslan through the hallways and corridors towards the throne room.

Edmund turned to Ariel. "And aren't you one to talk about boys fighting for a girl's hand, Ariel! I suspect that boys will be dueling for your hand right after the coronation!"

"If they do, they're going to need more than God's help when I get my hands on them," Peter said, causing everyone to laugh, even Ariel. "What?! I'm dead serious!"

"We know," Susan giggled as she wiped away a tear from her eye. "That's what makes it so funny!"

"Well, HAHA," Peter said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Just then, the Great Lion stopped outside a set of large, double doors engraved with golden lions.

"Are you ready?" Aslan asked them. Taking a deep breath, Ariel and the others nodded. Aslan smiled and then nodded at the sentries. The double doors swung open, revealing the throne room which was packed with eager Narnians desperate to not only catch a glimpse of their new rulers, but also to be present at what was probably the most defining moment in Narnia's history. Carefully holding her dress in a way that would allow to walk without tripping, Ariel stood between Peter and Susan as the five of them walked towards the five, stone-carved thrones. The royal standards were slowly brought up and above their heads as the five rulers reached their thrones. Ariel walked carefully up the steps and then turned in sync with the others to face the crowd of Narnians. Aslan as well turned to the Narnians and began to announce their new rulers.

"To the glistening Eastern Sea, I give you Queen Lucy the Valiant." The Beavers, smiling proudly carried two cushions with five crowns lying upon them. Beside them, a faun with a red, silk scarf wrapped around its neck walked beside them, smiling. And from the large grin on Lucy's face, Ariel guessed that this faun was Mr. Tumnus, her friend, the one who'd gone against the law to save her. She smiled. This would make the coronation only that much more amazing and memorable for her "little sister". Tumnus reached onto one of the silk cushions and took a silver tiara gently in his hands. Then, he placed it reverently and delicately upon Lucy's head. She beamed at him, and he smiled back.

"To the great Western Woods, I give King Edmund the Just." Edmund's bronze crown was placed atop his head, but his face remained serious and solemn, like a judge before his court. Ariel sensed that this entire adventure had made Edmund more mature and serious about life. Perhaps he would be a just king.

"To the radiant Southern Sun, I give you Queen Susan the Gentle." Ariel looked at Susan and smiled as the golden crown was placed on her head. The title suited Susan, and Ariel knew from the looks she was receiving from some of the males in the crowd that Susan would soon be pestered with suitors from all over Narnia.

"To the clear Northern Skies, I give you King Peter the Magnificent." Ariel's eyes were on Peter automatically. He looked regal and powerful as the golden crown was placed on his blond head. He had the look of Richard the Lionhearted as a king with the attraction of Henry VIII as a young man. _Let's just hope he doesn't pick up on old Henry's habit of killing one woman and then marrying another,_ Ariel thought to herself playfully as Peter's eyes met with hers. Flashing her a bright smile, he turned back to the crowds as Tumnus and Ariel looked at the final crown that lay on the silk cushion Mrs. Beaver was holding.

"And to the wondrous Lone Islands and the wild lands beyond, I give you Queen Ariel the Wise," Aslan declared. Tumnus took up the golden tiara and placed it gently on Ariel's head. Then, with one accord, the five friends swept their cloaks back and sat down on their thrones. Her crown itself wasn't very heavy, but it was as if she could feel the heavy weight of all the affairs of state of her new kingdom weighing down on her head already. Yet she stood tall, back straight and a warm smile on her face as she gazed at the sea of well-wishers; her people, her subjects.

Ariel Davis was a queen.

She'd never thought it was possible that she'd be anything other than a scholar or a brilliant scientist someday; never thought that she would be cared about by other people who were proud to stand beside her and call her "friend"; never thought that she could be admired by a handsome, young man who saw her not only as a beautiful girl, but also an amazing person. But maybe that was the problem, that she doubted herself too much. All her life, she'd thought that she wasn't pretty enough, strong enough, smart enough; that she just wasn't "enough". But now, here she was, sitting on a throne with caring friends and a loving boy by her side, and Ariel knew that she'd been "enough" to be crowned Queen of the Lone Island and the wild lands beyond, to be friends with the Pevensies, to have Peter care for her the way he did.

"Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen," Aslan told them proudly as they beamed at the Great Lion. "May your wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens." Then, he turned to the crowds who chanted with him, "Long live King Peter! Long live King Edmund! Long live Queen Susan! Long live Queen Ariel! Long live Queen Lucy!" Ariel smiled when Lucy got the biggest cheer from the crowds (she distinctly heard the Beavers). The little girl smiled and laughed. Ariel turned to Peter, who was looking pleased and yet slightly overwhelmed. She gently placed her hand over his. When he felt the gentle touch of her skin on his, he looked down at their hands and then back up at her. Smiling warmly, he gripped her hand and squeezed it.

After the coronation, the feasting began and Ariel, having hugged and shaken hands with the countless number of well-wishers and subjects, finally managed to slip away to the balcony of the castle. She felt a smile come to her face as she watched the Sun sinking like a majestic ball of fire over the sea, causing it to glisten and gleam like a sea of diamonds. Just then, she could see the shape of something walking along the sands of the beach close to the shoreline. Squinting, she could see the tail, the man and the golden fur.

It was Aslan. And he was leaving without saying goodbye.

"Ari! Have you seen Aslan?" Lucy asked, hurrying up beside her. Then, the little girl saw the lion walking along the beach towards the woods nearby. Shock and sadness came onto her face.

"He's leaving?" she whispered sadly. Ariel nodded, and the two stood in silence as they watched the Great Lion, their greatest friend, walking alone on the sandy shores below the castle.

"Don't worry. We'll see him again." Ariel and Lucy turned to see Mr. Tumnus walking slowly towards them.

"But when?" Lucy asked, sounding both sad and impatient.

"In time...you mustn't press him. After all, he isn't a **tame** lion," Mr. Tumnus chuckled.

Lucy sniffled a little and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "No. But he's good." The three of them turned back to the shoreline to see that Aslan had vanished completely. Lucy looked as though she was about to start crying any moment now. Ariel put a gentle arm around her shoulders as Mr. Tumnus took a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"Here," he said, smiling. "You need this more than I do." Lucy smiled back as she silently wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I think we should go back to the party," Mr. Tumnus suggested. Lucy nodded, and the two of them began to walk away from the balcony outside the throne room when Lucy stopped and saw that Ariel wasn't following behind them.

"Aren't you coming, Ari?" she asked.

"I'll be there in a minute, Lu," Ariel answered, smiling at the young queen. "I mean, Queen Lucy the Valiant," she corrected, sweeping down into a curtsey. Lucy giggled and said, "Of course, Queen Ariel the Wise," curtseying to Ariel in return. The two girls broke out into a fit of giggles and then Lucy and Tumnus disappeared back into the throne room. Ariel turned back and allowed the cool, sea breeze to send her red hair gently cascading back over her shoulders. She closed her eyes and allowed the warmth of the sinking sunlight to wash over her. This land felt more like home to her now more than ever, and with the Witch dead and she and the Pevensies on the throne, she felt as though a new age had begun for Narnia. _Perhaps like The Golden Age when Elizabeth I ruled England,_ Ariel thought to herself.

"It's all so unbelievable, isn't it?" she heard a voice say from behind her. Her eyes snapped open, her heart pounded, and her breath became short as she whirled around.

Peter.

The silver cloak he wore shone in the sunset, and the royal blue tunic with gold-colored pants he wore with his sword sheathed at his side made him look royal, even though the crown enhance his regal look. His blue eyes were fixed, but not on the sunset, the beach, the sea, or any of the land that he, she and his siblings now ruled.

His eyes were fixed solely on her.

"Yes," she answered. Then she remembered who he was now and sank into a deep curtsey. "High King Peter the Magnificent." He smiled and bowed low to her like the queen she was.

"Queen Ariel the Wise," he told her, raising his head so that he could meet her eyes. She rose from her curtsey. "But I insist on you calling me Peter."

"Yes, High-um, Peter," she replied.

"That was my first decree," he chuckled. "And you'd do well to follow it."

"And what is the punishment if I do not?" Ariel inquired, smirking slightly, something she'd never done in her entire life.

"I'll have you beheaded," Peter replied, smiling.

"Then you will have to answer to my subjects for my beheading."

"Not a problem. I am a soldier and the High King, after all. War doesn't frighten me."

"Not everything needs to be solved with fighting, Peter. There are other ways of getting the same resolution with much less bloodshed."

"You're such a pacifist!" he teased.

"And you're such a warmonger! Goodness, no wonder the world's in such an awful state! All men think about is going to war with each other!" she shot back playfully.

"And you think the world would be a lot more peaceful if women ran it?" he asked, smirking.

She matched him smirk for smirk. "I don't _think _that. I _know_ that! Plus, we'd probably kick your sorry butts in a war because we're faster, smarter and more resilient!"

Peter's face was shocked for a moment, but then he took a step towards her, grinning wickedly. "Oh really? Then let's put that hypothesis to the test, shall we?"

She gave a little scream as he began to chase her around the pillar. Halfway around, he switched directions and Ariel barely avoided him as she turned and ran the other way. But Peter was quicker the next time in changing his direction, and Ariel, who had glanced back over her shoulder to see if he was still behind her ran straight into his arms.

"Got you!" he growled playfully as he seized her arms and held close to him.

"Let me go, Peter!" she laughed, hitting him lightly on his chest, trying in vain to break away from him.

"Never!" he whispered to her. "I'll never let go of you for as long as I live!" Ariel stopped struggling and met Peter's eyes. He opened his mouth several times as if to say something, but he simply drew her closer to him, his arms wrapping around her waist. She looked out towards the sea as her hands rested on his upper arms. _Guess Orius worked him and Edmund hard,_ Ariel thought to herself as she felt the slight muscles beneath the royal-blue fabric. Then, she felt his hand, gentle and warm beneath her chin, turning her gaze away from the sea and the setting Sun and back to the blue eyes of the young, handsome High King.

"Ariel." His voice was soft and deep, filled with anxiousness and a tinge of fear.

"Peter." Her voice was a ghostly whisper, filled with uncertainty and also tinged with a fear of the unknown.

"There's something I have to tell you," they both spoke at once. Their eyes locked once again, and they stepped apart.

"You first," Peter told her.

"No, you go first," Ariel replied.

"I insist. You go first," Peter said.

"No. _I _insist. You first," Ariel told him.

"As High King, I insist that you go first," Peter told her in a voice that was supposed to sound authoritative. Ariel smiled.

"Very well, then. If it pleases the High King, I need to confess something," Ariel told him.

"Then speak, Queen Ariel the Wise," Peter answered, smiling at her. "And speak as your heart instructs you to."

Nervousness washed over her now as she locked eyes with the High King, the love of her life. She was about to become completely vulnerable to him, to confess what she had buried deep within the secret places of her heart. And if his response was like what she feared, she would be forever destroyed. Taking a deep breath, she began.

"After we...kissed, and before we went to Beruna," Ariel said to him, "there...there was something I wanted to tell you. But then Orius came and interrupted us."

"People here **do** seem to have a tendency to interrupt us during something important," Peter joked.

"Peter, I'm serious," Ariel told him.

"OK. I apologize for that. Go ahead," Peter prodded gently.

"Peter. This...this whole adventure we've been on together, the experiences we've shared...I...I wouldn't trade them for the world. Not one bit. And not only because of what we've done for Narnia, but also because...because...because..."

"You can tell me, Ariel."

"Peter, I...I don't know if..."

He took her hands in his and brought them to his chest, holding them tightly over his heart.

"Whatever it is, Ariel, I can deal with it. Just...tell me."

Ariel closed her eyes for a moment, drawing on every ounce of strength that both God and her body could give to speak her next words to Peter. Then, she finally opened her eyes, hazel meeting with blue, and then, she spoke.

"I love you."

His jaw dropped, his heart raced under her hands. Ariel was already gearing up for the disappointment, for him to say that he may have admired her before the war, but that things had changed, that they couldn't be together now that he was High King and she was a Queen. She braced for the words that would caused her heart to shatter into a million shards of broken, lifeless flesh. Peter snapped his jaw closed and stepped closer to her. Their eyes were still locked, and she could feel the warmth of his spearmint breath on her face.

Then he leaned in and kissed her.

Shock and relief flooded Ariel's body as she kissed him back, snaking her hands into his hair as he drew her as close to him as he possibly could. Then, he broke the kiss but didn't release her or pull away. He just looked into her eyes, panting slightly as he made sure that their eyes locked before he spoke.

"I love you too."

Every ounce of fear, every trace of anxiety melted to nothingness when Ariel's mind registered the four words that Peter had spoken to her. She launched herself at him, kissing him frantically. He stumbled back from the momentum, but he was soon responding in kind, kissing her with every fiber of his being. Fireworks exploded in her mind, church bells pealed out joyous melodies, and she felt as though the Sun was shining directly on her life at that moment in time. Just then, claps, whistles and cheers could be heard nearby, and the two teens leapt apart, blushing madly. Ariel dared to look up and saw Lucy, Susan and Edmund standing with Tumnus and half a dozen Narnians behind them.

"I _knew_ it!" Susan cried triumphantly, smiling.

"Told you that you two make a good couple!" Lucy teased, smiling.

"So, when's the wedding?" Edmund chuckled. Tumnus and the Narnians chuckled while Peter's face turned redder than a tomato. Ariel was about to say something, but the sound of a waltz being played filled the air around them, coming from the throne room.

"Sounds like they've already started the dancing," Ariel observed.

"Can we go and dance, Su?! Please?!" Lucy begged, giving her older sister the infamous "puppy-dog" face. Susan sighed and nodded as Lucy smirked at her little ploy having worked.

"You two coming?" Edmund asked as the group began making their way back to the throne room.

"In a moment, Ed," Peter answered. "I need to speak with Ariel in private."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, Pete!" Edmund snickered, smirking. Peter's face turned crimson with embarrassment as Edmund hurried off after the others. Ariel stared at him.

"What was all that about?" she inquired.

"You **don't** wanna know, Ariel," Peter groaned, shaking his head. "Believe me."

"Alright. So, what's going on?"

"I have something for you," he told her, reaching into the pocket of his tunic and drawing out a black, velvet box. Ariel's jaw dropped and Peter immediately suspected what she was thinking. "Don't worry. It's not a ring. Although Ed has been Hell-bent on being my best man since I met you."

"Is that what that blush was about?"

"Not exactly." He blushed and looked away for a moment before turning back to her. "But anyways." He opened the box and revealed a beautiful, gold pendant in the shape of a lion studded with diamonds and rubies for eyes. "Aslan gave this to me before the coronation. He said it was part of a courting tradition in Narnia. He told me that it was a very special pendant given by the last High King of Narnia to his sweetheart. He said that if I found a girl who'd captured my heart in all possible ways to give her this and never let her go." Then, he chuckled. "As if he didn't already know about us."

"Nothing gets past Aslan," Ariel agreed, giggling slightly. Then, Peter took the pendant out of the box and held it up, the jewels and gold shimmering in the faint sunset.

"May I?" Ariel nodded and held her hair out of the way as Peter stepped behind her and looped the necklace gently around her neck. It felt cool against her gold skin, and as she released her hair, Ariel saw Peter gazing down at the necklace, a smile on his face.

"It looks beautiful," he told her, smiling. "But then again, I didn't expect it to look anything less than beautiful with you wearing it."

"Come on," Ariel told him, kissing his cheek. "The others are probably wondering what we're doing out here so long. Edmund's probably thinking..."

"I know what he's thinking," Peter told her bluntly, rolling his eyes. "And no, I'm not going to tell you."

"Why?"

"Because then I'd have to kill him." Ariel smiled as she looped her arm through Peter's, and the two of them walked back into the throne room. Couples were already out on the floor dancing gracefully to the waltz that the orchestra was playing from a corner of the room. Ariel smiled as she saw Lucy dancing with Tumnus and Susan dancing with Edmund, who looked to be a graceful dancer for such a serious, solemn boy.

"Dance with me?" Peter asked her.

"Peter, I-!" she began to protest, but Peter took her hand and dragged her onto the dance floor to a round of applause from the watching Narnians. Peter gently placed a hand on her waist as he held her hand tightly with the other. Ariel's hand found its way to his shoulder, and the two of them began to glide across the marble floor, Peter leading.

"Peter! I can't dance!" Ariel hissed in his ear.

"Don't worry, silly," he laughed quietly in her ear. "**I can**." And as they moved across the dance floor, Ariel felt her terror and fear slowly melting away, and her body began relaxing and moving more freely with Peter's direction.

"See? It's not so bad!" Peter whispered to her before he twirled her a few times. Ariel allowed her dress to twirl around her before she replaced her hand on Peter's shoulder as they came back together again.

"Maybe not," Ariel replied before Peter lifted her off the floor and twirled her around before setting her back on her feet. There was another round of applause as the couple continued to dance in the center of the floor.

"Warn me next time, won't you?" she told him as they continued to dance gracefully across the floor.

"When I lift you up in the dance? Sure," Peter answered.

"Not that," she told him, leaning closer to him so that no one would overhear her. "I meant the next time you want to drag me onto a dance floor while the entire kingdom is watching us." She could feel the stares of every Narnian in the room centered on her and the High King. "They've probably married us off in their minds after seeing this."

"Some of them probably married us off before the war even started," Peter told her as they danced on the outer skirts of the dance floor, closer to the watching crowds, who were smiling at the young High King and the Queen. Mrs. Beaver beamed at Ariel, especially after she saw the pendant around Ariel's neck. Mr. Beaver gave them both a sly wink. Ariel smiled back as she thought that Peter might be right about that, especially when she thought of Mr. Beaver's words back at the river.

"They're all probably waiting for you to announce our engagement," she whispered to him.

"Should I tell Susan to start planning the wedding then?" Peter teased

"Sure. I'm sure you can deal with Edmund pestering you to be your best man," Ariel replied, smirking.

"Don't worry, my warrior princess. We won't be getting married for a while."

"Good. I need to see if I can put up with living with you for the rest of my life first before I even _think_ about diamond rings and bridesmaids' dresses!"

"Hey!"

"No offense."

"Much offense taken." But his smile reassured her that he wasn't mad at all. Then, he rested his cheek against hers. "Besides," he whispered in her ear. "I want to find out as much about this mysterious, red-haired warrior princess...or should I say, warrior _Queen_ of Narnia that I met a few days back in my world."

"What's she like?"

"Like...everything I've ever dreamed of finding in a girl." Ariel smiled and rested her head on Peter's chest as they danced. She knew that this would probably start up a whole gossip mill about the two of them, but she didn't care. All she cared about at that moment was the warmth and love and security she felt as she danced in the arms of Peter Pevensie, the love of her life.

_Thank you Aslan,_ Ariel said in her mind, hoping that wherever the Great Lion was, he would be able to hear her, to know how grateful she was to him. _Thank you not just for healing my eyes, but for helping me to learn to believe in myself and giving me the chance to see that I **do** have what it takes to be a queen. _

And as Ariel and Peter danced the night away in each other's arms, as their siblings smiled down on them, as all of Narnia celebrated the end of the Witch's reign and the dawning of a new era of peace and prosperity for Narnia, Ariel knew she heard Aslan's voice through all the cheers, revelry and festivities, soft like a gentle breeze blowing through the trees in her ear.

_You're welcome._

**Awwwww! Aren't they just ADORABLE?! Anyways, kinda sad because the next chapter will be the LAST one! :( But, the good news is that I WILL be doing a sequel to this based off of "Prince Caspian"! But I'll post an author's note when I've started the sequel. Anyways, please review, review, review as they mean A LOT to me!**

**Happy reading!**

**-Livangel16  
**


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